A Louisiana man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a Mississippi resident who was found unresponsive outside his home earlier this week.

Devin Wheeler was taken into custody in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, following the investigation into the death of 63-year-old William “Billy” Ray of Adams County.

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said Thursday morning that the case had taken investigators in several different directions overnight, but ultimately led to a suspect now in custody with a partnering agency.

Ray was discovered early Sunday morning, April 13, outside his home at 22 Hillcrest Drive in the Cloverdale neighborhood. Deputies with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) responded to the call and found Ray deceased at the scene from what appeared to be a gunshot wound.

In the 48 hours that followed, investigators gathered and examined key digital evidence with assistance from the Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Unit. That evidence led to a search at a residence in West Monroe, Louisiana, conducted Wednesday morning in coordination with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Wheeler was initially arrested for being a felon in possession of a firearm, related to a separate incident that occurred April 15 in Catahoula Parish. During the search, deputies found a loaded 9mm pistol, which was seized and sent for forensic analysis.

On Thursday, ACSO obtained warrants for Wheeler’s arrest on charges of first-degree murder and unlawful firearm possession. Sheriff Patten said investigators traveled to Catahoula Parish to serve those warrants and begin the process of extraditing Wheeler to Mississippi.

Patten noted that the investigation began with very limited evidence at the crime scene, making the quick identification and arrest of a suspect within three days a significant achievement for his team. He praised their skill and commitment to the case.

Wheeler is the brother of Adam Cade Wheeler, who had previously been sought for questioning. Sheriff Patten confirmed that Adam Wheeler later came forward voluntarily, was interviewed, and has since been released without any charges.

Patten also emphasized the importance of inter-agency cooperation in solving the case, acknowledging the vital roles played by the Concordia, Catahoula, and Pike County Sheriff’s Offices, the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“This kind of teamwork was essential to making an arrest so quickly,” he said.