Grand jury indicts shooting rampage suspect Godbolt on multiple counts of murder

Mississippi Clarion Ledger

A Lincoln County grand jury has indicted Willie Cory Godbolt on multiple counts of murder and attempted murder.

Godbolt is accused of going on a shooting rampage in Bogue Chitto and Brookhaven that left eight dead, including a Lincoln County deputy, two boys, his mother-in-law and other family members.

Willie Cory Godbolt, 35, right, is escorted by a Mississippi Highway Patrol trooper into a waiting Copiah County Sheriff's Department transport vehicle, following a probable cause hearing in court in Brookhaven Wednesday. Judge Bryan Harbour determined that a grand jury can decide whether to indict Godbolt, who is charged with killing a deputy, his mother-in-law and six others who were his relatives or acquaintances.

The grand jury indicted Godbolt on four counts of capital murder, four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and armed robbery.

Godbolt is accused in the deaths of Deputy William Durr, 36; Barbara Mitchell, 55; Toccarra May, 35; Brenda May, 53; Jordan Blackwell, 18; Austin Edwards, 11; Ferral Burage, 45, and Sheila Burage, 46.

According to law, the state has 270 days after an indictment to take a case to trial.

Godbolt has been in the custody of neighboring Copiah County to keep him away from possible family members of the eight victims and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, who lost one of their own to Godbolt.

A copy of the indictment will be available Friday morning, District Attorney Dee Bates said.

Godbolt committed the alleged offenses in three locations, each under different circumstances, possibly explaining the disparity between capital murder and first-degree murder counts.

Godbolt also made quite a few statements at the scene, caught on camera by the Clarion Ledger, including a confession to killing Durr.

The bodies of Durr, Mitchell, and Toccarra and Brenda May were all recovered at 2871 Lee Drive in Bogue Chitto where the rampage began.

The second crime scene was located at 1658 Coopertown Road in Brookhaven where the bodies of Austin Edwards and Jordan Blackwell were found.

Finally, the bodies of Ferral and Sheila Burage were recovered at the home on 312 East Lincoln in Brookhaven.

Eyewitness accounts at every scene as well as 911 calls placed Godbolt at all three homes, officials said.

Killing a police officer or fireman while they are acting in their official capacity and with the knowledge that the victim was a peace officer or fireman is one definition of capital murder in Mississippi.

Another holds that any person that commits murder while engaged in the commission of burglary or robbery, among other crimes, can be charged with capital murder.

Godbolt will be arraigned in Lincoln County Circuit Court in Brookhaven Monday at 11 a.m., Bates said.

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