On September 9, 2022, deputies responded to Deck Taylor Road in Golden, Mississippi, and found 28-year-old Tyler Ward suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen. Ward, a resident of nearby Fairview, was taken to a hospital in Tupelo but died of his injuries.

Police focused the investigation on a single suspect, Jay West of Fulton. West voluntarily surrendered to the Itawamba County Sheriff’s Office and was initially charged with second-degree murder; a judge set bond at $300,000. Prosecutors later upgraded the charge to first-degree murder, and a jury returned a guilty verdict that resulted in a life sentence for West.

If anyone knew Tyler, his movements on September 9, 2022, or has information about the case, please share what you know.