U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee | U.S. Department of Justice
Three individuals have pled guilty in connection with a murder that occurred on the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians' Reservation. According to court documents, Michael Jeffrey Shaffer, Sr., 48, and Montero Ray Willis, 22, used a firearm to fatally shoot a tribal member in the Pearl River Community of the reservation in September 2023. Deyonkia Alice Willis, 30, was charged as an accessory after the fact. The federal grand jury indicted them in November 2023.
The sentencing date for the defendants has not yet been set by the court. Both Shaffer and Montero Willis face potential life sentences for second-degree murder, while Deyonkia Willis could receive up to fifteen years in prison. A federal district judge will determine their sentences after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee and Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced these developments.
The investigation was conducted by the Choctaw Police Department and the FBI under the 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 aims to include tribal law enforcement officials and community leaders within its framework to address violent crime issues through collaboration among federal, state, local, tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and community partners.
