In a surprising turn of events, Mississippi prosecutors have decided to let go of the charges against Billy Lamar Brooks in connection with the shooting death of a former state lawmaker and an earlier arson case. The indictments were dismissed without prejudice, meaning they could potentially be refiled in the future by a grand jury. This unexpected move follows a need for further investigation into the tragic events.
The victim, former state Rep. Ashley Henley, was brutally murdered in June 2021, outside a burned-out mobile home in a rural area. The location was also the site where her sister-in-law, Kristina Michelle Jones, was found dead in December 2020. The decision to drop the charges was confirmed through a document signed by an assistant district attorney and Circuit Judge Smith Murphey, citing the necessity for additional time to thoroughly review and investigate the case. The document noted that a grand jury may still consider the matter at a later time, leaving the time frame for the completion of the investigation open-ended.
Billy Lamar Brooks, who has been out on bond since last year, now awaits the possibility of new charges. Meanwhile, the family of Ashley Henley has been vocal about their concerns regarding the handling of the case by Yalobusha County authorities. Relatives of the deceased erected a sign at the mobile home site with the statement “I was murdered,” in an attempt to draw attention to the need for justice in the case.
The dismissed indictment against Brooks stemmed from an earlier charge of maliciously setting fire to the home of Jones and another individual. However, a recent grand jury decision to add a murder charge in the death of Ashley Henley has now complicated the legal situation surrounding Brooks.
Ashley Henley, who served in the Mississippi House from 2016 to 2020, was known for her perseverance in challenging election results after a narrow loss to a Democrat in November 2019. Her dedication to public service and the controversy surrounding her election loss have added layers of complexity to the tragedy of her untimely death.
