Dustin Gray sentenced to life without parole

DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S PRESS RELEASE

Pearl River County, MS - 15th Circuit Court District Attorney Hal Kittrell announces that Dustin Michael Gray, age 27, of Pearl River County, Mississippi, has been sentenced to Life in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole after having been found guilty of the capital Murder of Willie Ray Jones of Picayune.

On July 6, 2020, the Picayune Police Department received a missing person report for Willie Ray Jones. Through the course and scope of their investigation, it was determined that the victim was in fact murdered in Pearl River County in the early morning hours of July 6, 2020 by Dustin Gray and his brother, Austin Brookshire. After Dustin Gray and Austin Brookshire murdered the victim, Willie Ray Jones, they robbed him of approximately $40,000 dollars. The defendant, Dustin Michael Gray, then fled Pearl River County. He was ultimately apprehended in Colorado and brought back to Mississippi for prosecution.

The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department took over the investigation for the murder of Willie Ray Jones. This case was investigated by the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department and Picayune Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys John Dowdy and Christina Holcomb.

District Attorney Hal Kittrell states, “I would like to thank the Pearl River County Sheriff’s department and the Picayune Police Department for their hard work that led to this defendant being brought to justice.