Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NATCHEZ — A murder trial that was scheduled to start this week in Adams County Sixth District Circuit Court has been continued to October 5, Judge Debra Blackwell said.

Arthur Moore, 45, faces a murder charge in the Jan. 22, 2019 killing of James Henry Williams, 54, a Natchez folk artist who was shot and killed after a heated argument between Williams’ brother and Moore at 9 Oscar St.

Blackwell said the state moved to have the trial continued to the next term in October because one of the main investigators in the case would not be able to testify yet due to health reasons.

Investigators took Moore into custody in March 2019 after a two-month search involving Natchez police, Adams County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Marshals. He has since remained detained at the Adams County Jail.

One of Williams paintings, called “Choices have to be made,” used to hang in former Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell’s office. The painting depicts a man looking at two groups of young men. One group is holding marijuana cigarettes and walking in the direction of the jail and cemetery and the other group is holding books and walking in the direction of the library.

The art is a testimony of Williams’ life, Grennell said shortly after he died.

“He was just a really nice guy,” Grennell said, “and an asset to the city. He loved making his art and showing his art and talent.”

Others of Williams’ paintings have been sold at the Arts Natchez gallery in downtown Natchez.