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A Saturday night disturbance at a transitional housing facility near Magee ended with one man dead and another behind bars facing a murder charge.
The incident occurred October 10, 2026, at New Way Transitional Facility, located on Highway 149 near Sanatorium Road.
According to the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the facility at approximately 8:27 p.m. following reports of a disturbance.
Authorities identified the victim as Jerry Michael Lee of Jackson and the suspect as Travis Lavett Weatherspoon, 45, of Crawford.
Investigators allege Weatherspoon attacked Lee with a chair. The assault reportedly continued even after Lee had been knocked unconscious.
When deputies arrived, they used a Taser to gain control of Weatherspoon before taking him into custody.
Emergency personnel treated Lee at the facility before transporting him to the Magee Emergency Room. Due to the seriousness of his injuries, Lee was later flown to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson.
Sadly, Lee did not survive.
The Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.
New Way Transitional Facility provides supervised, community-based housing for individuals transitioning from incarceration or remaining under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Corrections.
Weatherspoon is currently being held at the Simpson County Adult Detention Center, charged with murder.
The investigation remains under the authority of the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office.
The charge is an allegation. Weatherspoon is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
MageeNews.com is the online news source for Simpson and surrounding counties as well as the State of Mississippi
