Pearl River County, MS – 15th Circuit Court District Attorney Hal Kittrell announces that on July 24, 2023, that Austin R. Brookshire, age 21, of Rankin County, Mississippi, was sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree Murder of Willie “Chill” Jones of Picayune, Pearl River County, MS.

On July 6, 2020, the Picayune Police Department received a missing person report for Willie “Chill” Jones. Through the course and scope of their investigation, it was determined that the victim was in fact murdered in Pearl River County in the early morning hours of July 6, 2020. The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department took over the investigation and arrested the defendant, Austin R. Brookshire, for the murder of Willie “Chill” Jones. This case was investigated by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department and Picayune Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys John Dowdy and Christina Holcomb.

District Attorney Hal Kittrell states, “I would like to thank the Pearl River County Sheriff’s department and the Picayune Police Department for their hard work that led to this defendant being brought to justice.”