Man sentenced to life in prison for 2021 murder in Perry

The man pleaded guilty to malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault.

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A 21-year-old man is sentenced to life in prison, with the possibility of parole, for killing a man in Perry. Cornelius Murray pleaded guilty to malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault.

In July 2021, Perry Police arrested Murray and 18-year-old Natajah Culpepper in the shooting death of 77-year-old Willie Jacox. An investigation shows that Jacox would help Culpepper when she needed money or rides around town. On July 24th, 2021, Culpepper asked the victim to meet her on Mason Terrace. When Jacox arrived in his vehicle, Murray walked up to the driver side and fired multiple gun shots, killing Jacox.

Several residents of Timber Wood apartments on Mason Terrace called 911. They reported hearing multiple gunshots and seeing a couple run from the scene.

Investigators arrived on scene to find Jacox dead in the driver seat of his parked vehicle. Officers later stopped the suspects, and they had a handgun in their possession. Investigators were able to determine the shell casings found at the scene matched the live ammunition found in the handgun.

Murray and Culpepper were brought in for questioning and later arrested.

“Although our involvement with this case has come to a close, we will continue to seek justice for other families, like the Jacox family, in the work we do,” said Houston County District Attorney William Kendall. “This Defendant chose to make a malicious, irrevocable decision that resulted in permanent loss of a beloved family member and to the Defendant’s own detriment, prison for the next 30 years or more. Although we cannot undo what has been done, we hoped to have provided the family with some help in finding closure.”