On January 18, 2024, officers from the Port Gibson Police Department found 23-year-old Ethen Allen Ray McGrew inside a white SUV in a wooded area off Utopia Drive. McGrew, a Black male, had been fatally shot in the head. The discovery prompted an investigation that involved the Claiborne County Sheriff’s Office.

Two teenagers were arrested and charged as adults in connection with McGrew’s death. Seventeen-year-old Jor’Derrious Barber was charged with murder and a judge denied his bond. Sixteen-year-old Jeremiah Timmons was charged with accessory after the fact; his bond was revoked because of a prior violation. As of late 2024 both remained in custody awaiting trial. The shooting has had a profound impact on McGrew’s family and friends.

If anyone in Port Gibson has information about McGrew, his movements before January 18, 2024, or the events that led to his death, contact investigators.