The family of a Jackson, Tennessee, man is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in his murder.
Willie Dickerson II, 20, was killed in a July 9, 2022 shooting at the 300 block of Swedenburg Circle. Dickerson’s aunt, Patricia Beasley, told The Dispatch on Thursday the family doesn’t want the case to become cold.
“It’s been two years,” Beasley said. “We can’t find peace because we have not received justice.”
Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins told The Dispatch the investigation is still open, and three arrests have been made in connection to the case.
Freddie Williams, then 38, was arrested on Aug. 3, 2022 on Waterworks Road after he crashed his car attempting to elude law enforcement.
He has been charged with murder.
According to an area arrest report that appeared in The Dispatch on Nov. 4, 2022, Chaundra Dismuke, then 42, was charged with tampering with physical evidence and failure to appear. Christi Booker, then 28, was charged with felony conspiracy to commit a crime.
District Attorney Scott Colom said the case went before the jury once in 2023 and again earlier this year. In 2023, he said, the grand jury asked for more information, while in 2024, the jury said there was not enough evidence for an indictment.
While speaking with The Dispatch, Beasley voiced concerns about the way Colom’s office has helped with the case. Colom said the responsibility of investigating the case falls on law enforcement, while his responsibility is in prosecuting the case in court.
“If there had been an indictment, then (Beasley) would have had more communication with us because it would have been our job to prosecute it,” Colom said. “But once the grand jury decided there was not enough evidence, it goes back to the investigators. Hopefully, they can find some new evidence and leads.
“We’re definitely willing to do whatever the sheriff’s office needs us to do to help them investigate it, to give them any legal advice,” he added. “I’d be happy to talk to the family again about it.”
Beasley, Colom and Hawkins all asked for those with any additional evidence pertaining to the case to come forward. Beasley said any evidence, even things that may seem insignificant, could be helpful in leading the case in new directions.
“We don’t care how little they think that information is. If they know anything, we want them to come forward,” Beasley said.
Beasley said she raised Dickerson “half of his life.” He was likable, Beasley said, and he was attending Tennessee State University. Surely, she said, someone out there knows something about his death.
“Ask them what they would do if it were their family member, and they wanted somebody to help them, and they wanted to seek justice for them,” Beasley told The Dispatch. “I’m trying to appeal to the humanitarian part of them.”
Beasley asked anyone with information that could lead to a conviction to contact Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office Det. Scott Glasgo at (662) 328-6788.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 51 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.