Joseph Lamar Turnipseed Jr., 33, was found fatally shot inside a vehicle at the West Main Arms apartment complex in Starkville, Mississippi, on the night of February 8, 2019, after police responded to reports of gunfire. His body was sent to the state crime lab for autopsy as a homicide investigation began.

The next day authorities arrested 27-year-old Henry Neal Jr. of Starkville in connection with the case. Neal was charged with attempted conspiracy to commit murder, accused of offering $5,000 to hire someone to kill Turnipseed rather than being charged as the triggerman. Investigators said Neal admitted knowing Turnipseed and that they received statements from people who claimed Neal approached them about carrying out the killing.

Neal’s criminal history noted prior convictions for domestic assault and armed robbery, and he had been indicted on cocaine-selling charges in the months before Turnipseed’s death; he later pleaded guilty to the drug charge. Beyond the allegation that Neal tried to hire a killer and his admitted acquaintance with the victim, motive has not been detailed.

Did anyone in Starkville know Turnipseed or have information about the events at West Main Arms on February 8, 2019?