Jerry Glenn Willis sentenced to two life sentences

May 29, 2018

Poplarville, Mississippi-- 15th Circuit Court District Attorney Hal Kittrell announces that on May 29th, Jerry Glenn Willis, 42, of Pearl River County, Mississippi, pled guilty to the attempted murder, kidnapping, and taking away a motor vehicle of Stacey Franks as a habitual offender.

Willis was sentenced to two life sentences and five years by Circuit Court Judge Anthony Mozingo. Because Willis was sentenced as a habitual offender, these sentences will be served day for day without the possibility of parole or early release.

On November 8, 2017, Officers with the Poplarville Police Department and the Pearl River County Sheriff's department were dispatched to Highway 11 North and Spring Hill Road. When officers arrived on scene, they observed a female, Stacey Franks, with no shirt, having been severely burned all over her body. She was immediately taken to the hospital, stabilized, and transported to a burn unit in Jackson, MS.

Franks was able to relay to law enforcement that her ex-boyfriend, Jerry Glenn Willis, had been holding her hostage, poured gasoline on her and set her on fire. Stacey Franks sustained 3rd degree burns to 40 percent of her body.

Jerry Glenn Willis

Agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation were called in and spearheaded the investigation. Willis fled the scene, but was apprehended two days later in Monroe County, Arkansas by State police.

Hal Kittrell stated, "The victim is still recovering from this heinous crime and will require further medical treatment. She has truly been permanently injured by this man. It is because of the immediate action by law enforcement in this case that Jerry Glenn Willis will spend the rest of his life in prison. I would like to commend the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Poplarville Police Department, the Pearl River County Sheriff's Department, the Arkansas State Police, the Monroe County, Arkansas Sheriff's Department, the Brinkley, Arkansas Police Department, and the prosecution in this case led by Assistant District Attorney Clay Cranford, for their hard work that led this defendant to be brought to justice quickly."