Convicted felon with violent history sentenced for shooting crossbow at Biloxi boaters
A convicted felon will spend two decades in prison after shooting an arrow from a crossbow at boaters trying to make their way home up the Biloxi River.
Billy Shannell Nailer Jr., 50, was sentenced to 20 years for aggravated assault. Nailer, who has two felony convictions and 18 misdemeanor convictions, was sentenced as a habitual offender. That means he is not eligible for early release and must serve his full sentence day for day.
On the night of June 14, 2020, two brothers were making their way to a family member’s house by boat after a fishing trip when they saw Nailer standing on his front porch near Snug Harbor Drive. Debris in the river forced the brothers to turn the boat around in front of Nailer’s house, and when they did they heard a thud on the boat.
First, they thought the noise came from the debris, but one of the brothers discovered a crossbow arrow lodged in the back of his seat. He then witnessed Nailer on his porch running toward the door with the bow, according to a press release from Assistant District Attorney Matthew Burrell.
“The men also heard a woman’s voice yell, ‘get inside and put that thing away,’” said Assistant District Attorney Ian Baker, who prosecuted the case along with ADA Katherine Gargiulo.
The brothers called Biloxi police when they got safely home.
Another boat testified that Nailer pointed a crossbow at him as he passed by earlier in the day. Police found a crossbow and five arrows in Nailer’s master bedroom closet during the investigation.
Nailer received the maximum sentence after the court was presented with his criminal history.
Burrell said in the press release that many of Nailer’s misdemeanor crimes were violent in nature.
“We commend the victims for contacting police and cooperating through this prosecution, and the Biloxi Police Department for their thorough investigation in this case,” District Attorney W. Crosby Parker said in the release.
