Bio

Willie James Wilson Jr. was born in 1956. He grew up in Georgia. Details of his early life are not widely recorded, but it is noted that he eventually joined the military. Wilson served as a soldier stationed at Fort Stewart, located near Hinesville, Georgia.

In June 1981, Wilson went absent without leave (AWOL) from the military. He left the base to take time for himself, claiming he needed to "clear up my head" and "get myself together." During this time, he spent several days with friends in a nearby town called Blackshear.

On June 22, 1981, as his money was running low, he and a friend named Darris Miller traveled to Hoboken. There, Wilson filled out two job applications. While in Hoboken, Wilson suggested committing a robbery, but Miller advised against it due to the strong police presence. After this, they drove to Waycross and continued looking for a target.

Eventually, they stopped in Bristol, Georgia. It was here that Wilson's actions would lead to serious consequences. This period in his life set the stage for events that would unfold shortly after his time in Blackshear and Hoboken.

Murder Story

On June 22, 1981, Willie James Wilson Jr. murdered Alfred Boatwright, 64, and Morris Highsmith, 58, in Pierce County, Georgia. The murders took place around 4:00 p.m. at Boatwright's handyman store. During the incident, Wilson shot both men. After the shootings, he took $90 from the store.

Wilson was arrested later in Hinesville. He admitted to law enforcement that he had shot both victims and taken the cash. He claimed the shooting was due to a misunderstanding and that the robbery was not planned.

At the time of the murders, Wilson was a soldier who had gone AWOL from Fort Stewart. Leading up to the robbery, he and a friend had talked about committing a robbery, but Wilson had initially been dissuaded from acting on this thought.

In his trial, evidence was presented that the bodies were positioned in a way that did not fully match Wilson's account of the events. Witness testimonies and ballistic evidence further supported the state's case against him.

On February 15, 1982, Willie James Wilson Jr. was sentenced to death for his crimes. He received a death sentence for each murder and life imprisonment for the armed robbery. His case was later reviewed for issues concerning mental retardation, but the initial convictions were upheld.