CONVICTED FELON SENTENCED TO THIRTY YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRYING TO KILL HIS WIFE

Madison and Rankin Counties’ District Attorney John K. “Bubba” Bramlett announced today that Billy Bland, 46, pled guilty to one count of aggravated assault and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in Madison County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 30 years to serve by Circuit Judge Dewey Arthur. 

On November 15, 2025, Canton Police Department was dispatched to the home of Bland and his wife because Bland had called his mother-in-law and stated that he had just killed her daughter. The victim’s mother called 911 requesting a welfare check at the home but no one was at the residence. 

Meanwhile, officers with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department responded to a home located on Lake Naeoma in rural Madison County. The homeowner had called because an SUV had driven into the lake, and she could hear a woman calling for help from the car. When officers arrived on scene, they found a female that had been shot multiple times. She indicated that her husband, Billy Bland, had shot her multiple times and then fled the scene. 

Officers were unable to locate Bland in the woods adjoining the property owner’s home. They began a ping of his cell phone location which showed him exiting the area and eventually ended up in an abandoned house on W. Capitol Street in Jackson. Officers were able to determine that Bland’s brother had picked him up and taken him to Jackson. With the assistance of the US Marshals, officers located Bland in the home still in possession of the handgun he used to shoot his wife. 

Bland had been previously convicted of felony DUI and the sale of cocaine. He elected to plead guilty the day before his trial was scheduled to begin. The guilty plea was without a recommendation by the State. A sentencing hearing was conducted November 3, 2025 and Judge Arthur sentenced him to the maximum for each charge. 

District Attorney Bramlett stated, “I would like to first thank the homeowner on Lake Naeoma who immediately called the police for our victim. If not for her seeing the car go into the lake and calling for help so quickly, I have no doubt this victim would have died. This case is also a great example of law enforcement cooperation making the difference. The Canton Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, and the US Marshall’s Task Force were all instrumental in the discovery and apprehension of the Defendant. Unfortunately, this is yet another example of domestic violence almost taking a life in this State. I want to encourage any person who is experiencing domestic violence to please seek immediately before things escalate to a situation such as this. If you need help locating resources, please contact the Center for Violence Prevention Crisis Line at 601-932-4198.” 

Defendant: 

Name: BILLY BLAND 

DOB: 02/03/1979