Jury finds accused gunman guilty of second-degree murder in 2015 shooting

JACKSON, Tenn. — After a three-day trial and over seven hours of deliberation, the jury reached a verdict in the 2015 murder of Tony Willoughby.

It was a packed courtroom Thursday as family and friends of the victim and defendant waited for the jury’s decision.

After over seven hours of deliberation, the jury found Trimon Pruitt not guilty of first-degree murder but guilty of second-degree murder in the December 2015 shooting death of Willoughby.

Police say Pruitt shot the 25-year-old multiple times. He was later found lying on the side of the street near the Allenton Heights apartment complex.

According to officers, several shell casings were also discovered.

“My husband saw him on the night that he was murdered and gave him good advice on that night to be careful and to always keep God in front of him,” the victim’s aunt, Marie Maxie, said.

Maxie says Tony had been released from jail for about three months and wanted to be with his family.

“Tony was a gentle person even though he was involved in a lot of activities we didn’t really know about. He was a very gentle person,” Maxie said.

The court heard testimony from Pruitt who admitted to being a member of the Vice Lords street gang. He says the night of the murder he was with his grandmother and went to church.

The court also heard from a friend of the victim, Pruitt’s grandmother and two others who say they are in the Vice Lords gang as well.

Inside the courtroom, the families of both the victim and defendant encouraged each other and gave passionate looks before and after the verdict was read.

“We gave hugs as much as we gave looks because we know nobody wins in this situation,” Maxie said.

Maxie also said prayer and love are the only things keeping the family together.

“Nobody wins in a situation like this, and with the charge he got today and the verdict that was said, no family member wins. They lose and we lose,” Maxie said.