The Gazebo Gazette

GULFPORT (GG) — On Tuesday, October 22, 2024, Edna Charlene Rivers of Gulfport, Miss., pled guilty last week to Second-Degree Murder and Tampering with Physical Evidence before Circuit Court Judge Christopher L. Schmidt at the Harrison County Courthouse and was sentenced to 30 years to serve. 

The investigation began on October 26, 2022, when the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office responded to Singing River Hospital in Gulfport in reference to a report of a shooting victim being  admitted to the Emergency Room. The victim was identified as 35-year-old Kendray Stallworth of  Gautier, Miss. 

Video surveillance at Singing River Hospital showed Rivers arriving at the hospital in Stallworth’s car where she went inside and told a nurse that she needed help because her friend had either been shot or stabbed. When police arrived on scene, Rivers initially told law enforcement that she drove Stallworth to the hospital after he arrived at her residence stating that he was cold and then suddenly collapsed. 

Rivers stated that she drove Stallworth to the hospital because no one answered when she called 911.  However, during the execution of a search warrant at Rivers’ home on Freemont Street in Gulfport, a single 9MM shell casing was located on the kitchen counter along with several blood spots throughout the residence.

After being confronted about the shell casing found in her residence, Rivers admitted that she had shot Stallworth, her ex-boyfriend, during an argument. Rivers stated that she had invited Stallworth to her residence because she needed a ride to CSL Plasma, but she was upset that he arrived later than expected. 

Detectives with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Rivers called 911 after shooting Stallworth, but the call lasted only eight (8) seconds after Rivers ended the call as dispatch answered.

“Instead of remaining on the call or calling 911 again, the Defendant made several calls to her sister in Biloxi, asking her to drive to Gulfport to help load the victim into his car. More than an hour passed from the time Mr. Stallworth had been shot to the time he arrived at the hospital—valuable time that could’ve been used to save his life,” said Assistant District Attorney Jasmine Magee who prosecuted the case. 

When questioned about the location of the gun used in the shooting, Rivers told law enforcement that she put the gun in her purse and gave it to her sister. Rivers’ sister followed her to the hospital and was supposed to drive Rivers home after dropping off Stallworth at the hospital. The purse and gun were later recovered by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and Rivers’ sister was ultimately charged  with Accessory After the Fact and Hindering Prosecution, charges which are still pending. 

Stallworth succumbed to his injuries on October 28, 2022. An autopsy by the state Medical  Examiner’s Office revealed that Stallworth died of a single gunshot wound to the left side of his back.

Judge Schmidt sentenced Rivers to 40 years for Second-Degree Murder, with 20 years suspended, leaving 20 years to serve in the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Rivers also pled guilty to the charge of Tampering with Physical Evidence and was sentenced to an additional 10 years to serve.

The two sentences will run consecutively with one another for a total of 30 years to serve. Rivers will also have five years of post-release supervision upon her release from custody.