"I feel like Wesson is safer than any town I know. This is just something uncalled for," said service station owner and local fixture Kenneth Furr.
Erik Hollie, 24, was arrested Wednesday morning and officials said the motive appears to be armed robbery. He is now being held without bond in the Copiah County jail on charges of capital murder and armed robbery.
But having Hollie in jail is little comfort to townspeople who can't even remember Wesson's last murder.
"It's happened once in my lifetime that a man was shot in town, but I don't even remember when exactly that was," said Furr, 81. "We just don't have things like this happen here."
Los Lobos Mexican Restaurant co-owner Angie Moore said Ward used to come into her restaurant for lunch almost every day before he recently relocated to Wesson from Lincoln County.
"We're surprised and shocked, and still very saddened," she said. "He used to eat here every day. He was a really nice man."
Those sentiments were echoed by many Wesson residents who knew Ward. He was a good man, they said. The kind of man who would find a way to help people in need, no matter what it took.
His store window even bears a sign that says, "We loan money on anything of value." Now a temporary sign in the window says, "Closed Until."
Stanley Martin of Wesson said he knew Ward, and always thought highly of him.
"He was a really good guy, I never heard anything bad about him," he said of Ward.
And Wesson Police Sgt. Troy Floyd said having Hollie locked away might offer the people of Wesson some relief.
"I'm really glad for the citizens that we've got him in custody," he said. "If that brings them a sigh of relief, then that helps a little."
But some citizens say it's made them look at the streets of their small town a little differently.
"In this world and time, this can happen anywhere," said Ace Hardware employee Mark Stevens.
And Furr agreed, saying that he's glad that his business is right across the street from the police department.
"I used to get a little scared getting here so early in the morning, but the police are right there," he said.
Moore said things will be a little different security-wise at her restaurant as well.
"Of course we take security seriously, and we walk our girls out to their cars after close so that nobody has to go outside alone," she said.
But vigilance is of the essence, Martin said.
"Wesson's just a good town, but this can happen anywhere," he said. "It's sad to say this is a part of life, and you've just gotta know where you're going."
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