BILOXI, Miss. — A Mississippi Waffle House waitress who was shot and killed after asking a customer not to smoke was a 52-year-old who spent some of her final moments asking patrons how they enjoyed their Thanksgiving, authorities and witnesses said.
Julia Brightwell of Biloxi was killed with a bullet to the head, Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove said in an email.
Johnny Max Mount was jailed with bond set at $2 million. Biloxi police charged him with first-degree murder, saying he shot Brightwell early Friday after she asked him not to smoke.
Customer Richard Bonin told The Sun Herald that Brightwell served him and two friends just before she was shot, and asked if they had a good Thanksgiving.