Watch Now


Three charged in USPS truck driver’s killing

Trucker an off-duty Mississippi state trooper working for U.S. Postal Service part time

Troy Morris, a 27-year veteran of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, was killed off-duty while driving a truck for U.S. Postal Service. (Photo: Jefferson County Sheriff's office)

Lt. Troy Morris served 27 years as a state trooper with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. But on Sunday three suspects were in custody, charged with murdering Morris, who was killed while working his second job as a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) truck driver.

Morris was killed early Friday while driving a USPS truck on U.S. Route 61 in Jefferson County, the Mississippi Highway Patrol said in a statement. Officers found Morris in the cab of the truck around 4:30 a.m.

Morris had notified the Jefferson County Sheriff’s department and Mississippi Highway Patrol that the USPS truck had gotten a flat tire around 4 a.m., Jefferson County Sheriff James Bailey said during a news conference. A deputy subsequently found him dead.

Authorities so far have yet to disclose a motive. Morris worked for USPS part time.


Treyon Washington, 24, Damion Whittley, 25, and a 17-year-old have been charged with murder in connection with the killing. Washington was arrested in Mississippi, while Whitley and the other suspect were arrested in New Orleans, the Highway Patrol said on Saturday.

“He was a good man, friend, and a valuable member of this agency. He will truly be missed by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” Col. Randy Ginn, director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol, said in a statement.

USPS had posted a $105,000 reward with Crime Stoppers Mississippi for information leading to the arrest and capture of those responsible for Morris’ death.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by Nate Tabak.


Canadian truckers: COVID-19 fears blocking access to medical care

Feds still probing $20 million marijuana shipment after trucker’s release

Trucker denied knowing about $20M in marijuana in border bust

Nate Tabak

Nate Tabak is a Toronto-based journalist and producer who covers cybersecurity and cross-border trucking and logistics for FreightWaves. He spent seven years reporting stories in the Balkans and Eastern Europe as a reporter, producer and editor based in Kosovo. He previously worked at newspapers in the San Francisco Bay Area, including the San Jose Mercury News. He graduated from UC Berkeley, where he studied the history of American policing. Contact Nate at [email protected].