William McGee

William McGee, a 34-year-old Black man, had his life tragically cut short in a violent encounter on a late summer evening in Greenwood, Mississippi. The events of that day would later be revealed as part of a larger, violent crime spree that had instilled fear in the community.

On the evening of September 17, 2020, officers with the Greenwood Police Department were alerted by the sound of gunfire in the Westside area of downtown. As they canvassed the neighborhood, a second volley of shots rang out, this time from the vicinity of Main Street. Responding to the sound, police discovered a horrific scene at the intersection of Main and Johnson Streets, just outside a local club known as Memphis Style. Two men were down. One, Larry Montgomery, also 34, was found lying in the intersection, having already succumbed to his injuries. Mere feet away, in a grassy area, officers found William McGee. He had sustained multiple gunshot wounds but was still alive.

Emergency responders from Pafford EMS arrived quickly and rushed McGee to the Greenwood Leflore Hospital. Despite their efforts and those of the medical staff, the severity of his injuries was too great, and he passed away. The double homicide sent shockwaves through the city, prompting an intensive investigation by the Greenwood Police Department to find the person responsible for ending two young lives.

The break in the case came when authorities arrested a man named Tyrell Stigler as a person of interest in other recent violent incidents around Greenwood. While in custody, Stigler confessed to the murders of both William McGee and Larry Montgomery. His confession revealed a chilling narrative: Stigler claimed that earlier on the day of the shooting, someone in a black Cadillac Escalade had shot at him. Later, believing he saw the same vehicle, he heard someone shout at him and opened fire, tragically killing Montgomery and McGee in a supposed act of retaliation. Stigler's confession also linked him to a wider web of violence, including other homicides.

The prosecution was handled by the office of District Attorney W. Dewayne Richardson. Due to significant pre-trial publicity surrounding Stigler and his alleged crimes, his defense requested and was granted a change of venue. The trial was moved from Leflore County to neighboring Lafayette County to ensure a fair hearing. After an initial attempt to seat a jury in June 2026 was unsuccessful, the trial was rescheduled and commenced on August 24, 2026.

After a three-day trial, the Lafayette County jury deliberated for three hours before returning its verdict on August 26, 2026. Tyrell Stigler was found guilty of the First-Degree Murder of William McGee and the First-Degree Murder of Larry Montgomery. Following the verdict, Leflore County Circuit Court Judge Margaret Carey-McCray handed down the only sentence Mississippi law allows for the crime: life in prison without the possibility of parole for each count. At the time of this conviction, Stigler had already been sentenced to life for another murder and had several other murder cases pending.

Following the sentencing, Assistant District Attorney Amanda Sturniolo Langford, who prosecuted the case with Patricia A. Hicks, acknowledged the profound loss suffered by the victims' loved ones. “No matter what the sentence is, it won’t bring Mr. McGee and Mr. Montgomery back to their families," she stated. "But, it is our hope that they feel as though justice has been done and are able to attempt to move forward in their healing process knowing that the person who took their family members away from them is finally seeing the consequences of his actions.” As of August 2026, with the killer convicted and sentenced, the case of William McGee's murder is considered closed by the justice system.