Three individuals have admitted guilt in connection with a murder on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Reservation. According to court documents, Michael Jeffrey Shaffer, Sr., 48, and Montero Ray Willis, 22, were involved in the shooting death of a tribal member in September 2023 at the Pearl River Community. Deyonkia Alice Willis, 30, was charged as an accessory after the fact. The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2023.
Sentencing will occur at a later date determined by the court. Shaffer and Willis face potential life sentences for second-degree murder, while Deyonkia Alice Willis could receive up to fifteen years in prison. A federal district judge will consider U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors before determining their sentences.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The investigation was conducted by the Choctaw Police Department and the FBI under Project Safe Neighborhoods Tribal Initiative. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin J. Payne and Brian K. Burns prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhood’s Tribal Initiative involves tribal law enforcement officials and community leaders within a national program by the U.S. Department of Justice that seeks to address violent crime issues through collaboration among various law enforcement agencies and community partners.