Willie Russell Jackson, known as Sleepy Bill, was a 66-year-old African American man who lived in Wilmington, North Carolina. On the night of August 4, 2017, a 911 call reporting a person being shot led police to a home at 1910 Castle Street, where Jackson was found dead on his porch from a gunshot wound at about 1:00 a.m.

A 16-year-old, Jac'qual Raymond De'shocka Goodman, a ninth-grader at New Hanover School, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and assault by pointing a gun; six weeks earlier he had faced misdemeanor drug and paraphernalia charges. The Wilmington Police Department has not disclosed a motive.

Jackson’s funeral was held August 12, 2017, at ILA Hall with burial at Calvary Memorial Cemetery. Neighbors described him as a kind, father-figure presence who handed out dollars for candy and ice cream and whose death left a void in the block between 13th Street and Wrightsville Avenue.

If anyone knew Willie or has information about the shooting, please share what might help the investigation.