Lewis Bynum Charged With First-Degree Murder in Memphis Shooting
Lewis Bynum, a 78-year-old Memphis resident, has been charged with first-degree murder following the fatal shooting of an individual over a six-dollar debt, Action News 5 reported. On October 30, Memphis Police officers responded to a shooting call near the Crockett Place Apartments, located near Crockett Place and Vollentine Avenue, where they found a victim who was later pronounced dead at the scene by Memphis Fire Department paramedics.
Witness Accounts and Evidence at the Scene
A 911 caller directed responding officers to the location, reporting that a man had been shot and that the responsible party was lying in the middle of the street. The caller provided a detailed description that matched Bynum when officers arrived. A witness on the scene told police that Bynum was the shooter. Detectives recovered a single live .357 round, a series of live .38 ammunition rounds, and multiple fired .357 and .38 cartridge cases on the roadway.
Another witness informed police that prior to the gunfire, Bynum stated he was going to jail and intended to kill someone because that person owed him six dollars. That witness went inside before hearing multiple gunshots. Upon stepping back outside, the witness found Bynum standing over the victim. Neighborhood residents confronted Bynum and knocked him to the ground, causing the loose ammunition to fall from his pockets. A second witness corroborated the confrontation, telling police that Bynum shot the victim after the victim refused to pay the six-dollar debt, and continued firing as the victim fell.
Suspect Faces Murder Charges Following Previous Homicide Conviction
Police records show this is not Bynum’s first arrest for homicide. A criminal history search revealed that he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in May 1988. Bynum currently remains in police custody. As of now, judicial documents have not specified bond details for the offenses, which consist of first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and using a gun during the execution of a dangerous felony.
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