Murder of Timothy Wayne McCullough

The murder of Timothy Wayne McCullough was a drive-by shooting in the San Jacinto neighborhood of Amarillo, Texas, on July 17, 2021. McCullough, 24, was sitting inside a house at 611 South Mississippi Street when the driver of a black Volkswagen Passat fired several rounds toward a window, striking him in the head. He died from his injuries two days later.^[1]

Investigators determined that McCullough and James Coy Mireles had argued through Facebook Messenger shortly before the shooting and that McCullough had sent Mireles his location. Mireles was arrested four days later after a vehicle pursuit and SWAT standoff in Hereford. In March 2026, he pleaded guilty to murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to 25 years for murder and 10 years for the firearm offense; the reports did not state whether the terms would run concurrently or consecutively.^[2]

Shooting

At 1:49 p.m. on July 17, 2021, Amarillo police officers responded to a reported shooting at a residence in the 600 block of South Mississippi Street. They found McCullough suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to a hospital and died on July 19.

Residential surveillance footage showed a black Volkswagen Passat approaching the house. According to a criminal complaint, the driver opened the vehicle's door and fired several rounds at or toward a window. McCullough was sitting inside and was visible through the window into which at least one round was fired.^[1:1]

McCullough's neighbor, Lisa Lucero, recalled hearing a series of gunshots while children were playing video games near windows inside her home. She described the shots as "a bunch of pops."^[3]

Investigation

A witness gave investigators access to McCullough's Facebook Messenger account. The messages documented an ongoing argument between McCullough and Mireles concerning an alleged drug debt. They also included McCullough providing Mireles with his location at the South Mississippi Street residence.

McCullough's family said that he barely knew Mireles. Investigators learned that Mireles was associated with a black vehicle consistent with the Passat visible in the surveillance recording. The Amarillo Police Department's Homicide Unit obtained a murder warrant and publicly identified Mireles, then 22, as armed and dangerous. The search developed into a citywide manhunt.

Arrest in Hereford

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On July 21, 2021, deputies with the Deaf Smith County Sheriff's Office located Mireles driving in Hereford, Texas. He refused to stop, leading deputies on a short pursuit with assistance from the Hereford Police Department.

Mireles crashed near South Julian Street and fled into a house. Officers surrounded the residence, and the confrontation developed into an hours-long standoff. Personnel from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the United States Marshals Service, and the Amarillo Police Department SWAT team assisted local authorities.

After repeated attempts to contact Mireles were unsuccessful, officers deployed tear gas. Mireles then surrendered and was taken into custody. He was booked into the Deaf Smith County jail.^[1:2]

Pretrial detention

Mireles remained in Deaf Smith County custody following his arrest. He was not transferred to the Potter County Detention Center until January 2023, approximately 18 months after the shooting.

A report published after his arrest stated that Mireles was also under indictment in Potter County for drug possession and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.^[3:1]

A second defendant was initially charged with murder in connection with McCullough's death. The supplied report does not identify that person. The charge against the co-defendant was dismissed when Mireles entered his plea in 2026.^[2:1]

Guilty plea and sentencing

In late March 2026, Mireles appeared before Judge Steven Denny in Potter County's 320th District Court and pleaded guilty to several charges, including murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

Judge Denny sentenced Mireles to:

• 25 years in prison for McCullough's murder; and
• 10 years in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

The report does not state whether the sentences were ordered to run concurrently or consecutively.^[2:2]

Family and organ donation

McCullough's family said that he was trying to improve his life at the time of the shooting. He was recently engaged, had a two-year-old son, and was expecting another child. His sister described the killing as senseless and said that although McCullough had made mistakes, he had been "really awesome."^[3:2]

McCullough was an organ donor. According to his mother and sister, his donated organs saved six people. His liver was reportedly transplanted into a child. The family said that McCullough would have been proud to know that his death had allowed him to help others.^[3:3]

Case information

References