WINONA, Texas — Jan. 3, 2024, marks three years since a Starrville Methodist Church pastor was allegedly murdered by a man who was hiding in the church after a police chase.
Church members of the now-renamed ministry, Starrville Community Church, gathered for their weekly evening prayer meeting on Tuesday and William 'Mike' Sellars recalled how that tragic day unfolded.
Sellars said that day he was aware a fugitive was on the loose in the area and he approached the church very uneasily.
"I don't know if he got away," Sellars said. "When I opened the door, Pastor Mark McWilliams had the guy at gunpoint when he found him in the bathroom. He was after the money, the petty cash, and basically, he was waiting on a ride to be able to escape because they chased him to this point."
Sellars said McWilliams instructed him to call 911, so he stepped outside of the church's meeting room to make a report. He said that's when things took a turn for the worst as the pastor was overpowered by the suspect who took control of the weapon.
"I heard four gunshots and when I opened the door," Sellars said. "He hit me twice and I started running. He shot me four more times before I collapsed in the flower bed."
Officials immediately arrived at the scene where they found McWilliams dead and Sellars profusely bleeding. Sellars said he lost a great friend and recalled McWilliam's connection to their faith.
"He was a man of God," Sellars said. "A direct man that had a direct connection that could help you find your direct connection with the Lord."
Officials arrested Mytrez Woolen and charged him with capital murder and other felonies. However, in December 2021, Woolen was declared incompetent to stand trial.
Whether McWilliams will ever get justice, Sellars said only time will tell. Although he suffered the loss of a beloved friend, it took him a year and a half to fully recover. Sellars said being shot may have saved his life.
"The injury revealed that I had kidney cancer, and my life was spared because of that," Sellars said. "So I would have died anyway if I hadn't been shot. So everything God's plan, everything he does is for a reason."
This incident has made Sellars and other church members stronger in their faith -- even after a dark day near the chapel.
"The Holy Spirit is alive and well, and you're not getting, you're not asking, because if I asked that day the Lord might not have saved my life," Sellars said. "Of course, I didn't deserve it, because he took all the strides for us and we just need to be humble about that."
As of Monday, Smith County District Attorney Jacob Putman said Woolen is still in the state hospital and awaiting restoration of competency.