Fred McCray Jr., a 27-year-old teacher from Ferriday, Louisiana, was shot in the head and killed in June 2019 after being reported missing on Sunday, June 23, 2019. McCray had just completed his first year at Morgantown Middle School in Natchez, Mississippi, and had been named the 2018–2019 Teacher of the Year for the Natchez-Adams County School District. Colleagues and students remembered him for an infectious smile, a gentle personality, and a passion for education.

On the day he disappeared McCray had given a ride to two men. His body was later found concealed under plywood and garbage at an old food plant in Ferriday. Investigators identified two suspects: Jimmy O’Neal Lewis, 48, of Ferriday, and Cedric Tennessee. Both were arrested and charged with first-degree murder; the charge against Sedrick Tennessee was later amended and went to trial, resulting in a conviction and sentence. What additional details about the two men or the night of June 23 might help explain what happened to Fred McCray Jr.?