It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Henry Hamilton Jr., a resident of Bay Springs, Mississippi, who passed away tragically on March 17, 2026, outside the Millennium Inn in Ellisville. The 31-year-old was fatally shot late Sunday night, March 16, around 11:37 p.m., in what authorities have described as a targeted incident captured on surveillance footage.
Ellisville Police Department officers arrived to find him suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest, just feet from the motel entrance, and he was pronounced dead at the scene by Jones County Coroner Burl Hall. This violent loss has stunned the small communities of Bay Springs and Ellisville, leaving family, friends, and neighbors searching for understanding amid overwhelming grief.
Henry was remembered by those closest to him as a man of character and resilience who built meaningful connections throughout his life in Bay Springs. He carried himself with a steady, dependable presence that made him someone people naturally gravitated toward, whether through shared conversations or quiet acts of support.
The shooting occurred outside the Millennium Inn on Highway 29 in Ellisville when surveillance video reportedly showed a suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Nehemiah Rice from Braddock, Pennsylvania, approaching and firing multiple rounds at Henry as he stood near the front door.
Rice was arrested shortly after by Ellisville Police and booked into the Jones County Adult Detention Center at 1:33 a.m. on March 17 on a murder charge, though he was found dead in his jail cell hours later under circumstances that remain under investigation. The Jones County Sheriff’s Office and Ellisville PD continue to piece together the events, with the entire incident documented on camera providing key evidence in what appears to be a homicide stemming from a specific confrontation.
As the investigation continues, the circumstances of Henry’s passing have raised many questions among those who knew him and the broader community of Bay Springs and Ellisville, who remain united in grief while seeking answers and justice. In the wake of this tragedy, friends and family are leaning on one another, sharing memories of Henry’s positive impact and holding space for the pain of his sudden absence. The shock of such violence in a usually peaceful region has prompted an outpouring of support, with people coming together to offer condolences and stand by his loved ones during this heartbreaking time.
