Six Indicted on Murder Charges in Vicksburg

VICKSBURG, Miss. – Six people have been indicted in Warren County on murder charges. The six individuals that were indicted are from two separate incidents that occurred in the city of Vicksburg.

Indictment 1:

The Grand Jury returned indictments on Carolyn Mansfield and Albert Thomas. Mansfield and Thomas are accused of deliberately setting a house on fire after arguing with 75-year-old Ernest Gleese over drugs. Gleese was found deceased in the home on Speed Street back in February 2024.

According to Vicksburg Fire Chief Derrick Stamps the origin of the fire was suspicious so the State Fire Marshals Office was called in to investigate. That investigation was joined by the Vicksburg Police Department and that led to an arrest.

Mansfield and Thomas are also charged with Arson.

Indictment 2:

Zachery Bryant, Perrion Johnson, Patrick Ross, and John Earl Wallace have all been indicted for the 2023 murder of Preston Wilson Jr.

Back in July 2023, police and medics were dispatched to the intersection of Harrison and Cherry Street on reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they found 22-year-old Preston Wilson, Jr. on the ground in front of a building at 1524 Cherry Street, between First Baptist Church and First Presbyterian Church. The shooting was captured on video.

According to Police Chief Penny Jones, a black SUV drove by and called Wilson’s name, who was walking on Martha at Harrison, and warned him to watch himself. Moments later the same vehicle drove by once again and opened fire.

Wilson was struck and ran a short distance before collapsing on Cherry Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey.

The four are also charged with drive-by shooting and two counts of aggravated assault.