Hattiesburg man pleads guilty to 2nd-degree murder

One of three men indicted for capital murder in the shooting death of a Hattiesburg man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday.

Forrest County Circuit Court Judge Robert Helfrich sentenced Derrick Lamont Bolton Jr. to 35 years in prison, with 22 years to serve, for his involvement in a West Seventh Street home invasion in 2013 that left Robert Williams Jr. dead.

Bolton, 20; Daylon Carl Waldrop, 21; and David Allen Fairley, 24; were indicted in August on charges of capital murder, conspiracy and kidnapping. All three men are Hattiesburg residents.

Waldrop is scheduled for trial Tuesday in Forrest County Circuit Court on the three charges. He also faces a residential burglary charge in an unrelated incident.

Per court order, Fairley was transported Wednesday and booked into Forrest County Regional Jail "to appear before this court for disposition or trial" in the incident that left Williams dead.

The home invasion occurred Aug. 1, 2013.

An investigation revealed that Williams and two others at the home were acquainted with Waldrop, Bolton and Fairley and that the latter trio had targeted the residence for robbery.

At the time, Hattiesburg Police Department spokesman Lt. Jon Traxler said after the three men entered the home, gunfire was exchanged between Williams and the suspects.

Bolton and Fairley turned themselves in to Hattiesburg police on Aug. 6, 2013. Waldrop, who was injured during the incident, was arrested in Laurel on Aug. 7, 2013.

Waldrop had been free on bond following a breaking and entering charge in May 2013.