OXFORD, Miss. — Sherard Eugene Ward, 37, of Oxford, was sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 murder of his wife, Marisha Golden Ward, who was 33 at the time. Concurrently, he received a 5-year sentence for a voyeurism charge, colloquially called “Peeping Tom.”

Represented by attorney David Hill Esq., Ward pleaded guilty following a 3-day jury trial. The jury found him guilty on both counts. As part of his sentence, Ward must contribute $6,500 to the Crime Victim Fund, and cover added court-related costs. Records from the Mississippi Department of Corrections say Ward was officially sentenced on July 19, 2023, and is expected to serve his term in an MDOC facility.

In a 2020 development, Ward was arraigned before a Justice Court Judge and initially granted a $1 million bond. This bond was later revoked, partly due to a prior voyeurism charge.

The charges against Ward originated from an incident in September 2020. The Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department had responded to a “shots fired” call at 5 County Road 1080. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Marisha Ward’s lifeless body. Acting on witness testimonies relayed to the 911 dispatch, deputies quickly apprehended Sherard Ward. Further complicating his legal troubles, he had previously been released from the Lafayette County Detention Center on Sept. 3, 2020, following a separate voyeurism arrest.

Ward’s defense has filed a motion for a new trial stating he was denied the opportunity for a fair trial.