In the small town of Macon, Mississippi, the life of 28-year-old Kristopher 'Kris' Haywood was cut tragically short in a violent act that remains a painful open wound for the community. On the night of March 2, 2015, Haywood, a male, was working at the Local Express service station on Jefferson Street when a hooded figure entered and robbed the business around 10:30 p.m. During the robbery, Haywood was shot in the head. Despite being rushed to a hospital, he succumbed to his injuries and passed away two days later, on March 4, 2015, at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
The initial investigation into Haywood's murder led to the swift arrests of four individuals. Macon police identified Jonathon Shumaker, then 24, as the lead suspect. Also taken into custody were his girlfriend, Elizabeth Layne Reed, 19, and two brothers, Justin Williams, 19, and Joshua Williams, 17. All four were charged with capital murder in connection with Haywood's death. For years, the case against them seemed to be moving forward, with Shumaker being indicted by a grand jury in September 2015.
However, the trajectory of the case took a dramatic turn in November 2019. New evidence emerged that cast significant doubt on the guilt of the four accused. A cell phone belonging to Shumaker contained voice recordings of him and the other three suspects rapping in Shuqualak, a town 13 miles away, just five minutes after the 911 call reporting Haywood's shooting was made. This alibi, combined with a lack of physical evidence tying them to the crime scene—a shotgun found at Shumaker's home did not match the shells from the scene, and no DNA evidence linked them to the murder—led to a reevaluation of the case. The suspects were subsequently released on bond.
After years of legal limbo, the charges against Jonathon Shumaker, Elizabeth Reed, Justin Williams, and Joshua Williams were officially dropped in June 2023. The dismissal of the charges left the investigation into Kris Haywood's murder back at square one, officially rendering it a cold case. In an effort to generate new leads, local businesses and the District Attorney's office have offered a reward for any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the senseless killing. The community continues to hope for justice for a young man remembered for his kindness and compassion.
