November trial date set for capital murder suspect in Walmart shooting

A Kosciusko man accused of capital murder in the shooting death of a Starkville optometrist last year now has a tentative trial date set for November.

While Circuit Court Judge Lee Howard ruled last Friday that William Thomas “Tommy” Chisholm was mentally competent to stand trial for the murder of Dr. Shauna Witt in January 2018, a trial date was not immediately set during the competency hearing.

Court records show that date has now been filed for his trial date on Nov. 4 at 9 a.m.

An evaluation letter from Dr. R.M. Storer — a clinical and forensic psychologist contracted by the Mississippi State Hospital at Whitfield — was provided, but did not provide specific details on the tests conducted to determine Chisholm's competency.

According to a sealed mental evaluation referenced in open court Friday, Chisholm was not suffering from a mental disease or defect that would have impeded his ability to know right from wrong when he allegedly shot and killed Witt in January 2018 at her optometry practice at the Starkville Walmart on Highway 12.

The Starkville Daily News previously reported the two had been in a dating relationship.

While the trial date has been set, Judge Howard on Friday alluded to a motion to be made by Chisholm's public defender requesting additional psychological evaluations ahead of trial.

Chisholm is charged with capital murder and aggravated assault, with the assault charge stemming from a female bystander being struck by a bullet, which managed to only pierce the outer layer of her clothes.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges last July.