HATTIESBURG — Retired Brigadier General Paul Rowlett was killed Saturday in a car crash in Hattiesburg on his way to Monroe, Louisiana, to testify as an expert witness in the Quinton Tellis murder trial.
The accident occurred at Hwy 98 and Ralston Rd in Forrest County when another vehicle allegedly ran through a stop sign and hit his vehicle.
He served as an intelligence specialist for the Department of Justice, and was the star witness in the Jessica Chambers case in north Mississippi, piecing together a detailed digital trail that the prosecution said put the defendant, Tellis, and Chambers together until the time of her death. One of Rowlett’s primary professional and personal commitments was seeking justice in the Chambers case.
He was expected to be a prosecution witness in the case against Tellis in Louisiana when he died, though he wasn’t yet on the witness list.
He was expected to provide testimony for the prosecution in the trial against Tellis in the 2015 death of Meing Chen Hsaio. The trial was set to begin Monday, but it’s unclear if that is still the case.
In his career, Rowlett spent more than three decades in military and federal service, building a distinguished career in intelligence, operations and leadership. He served in a range of senior roles within the Arkansas Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force, rising to positions including Chief of Staff at the Arkansas Air National Guard and Director of Intelligence (J2) for the Arkansas National Guard. Earlier in his military career, he led the 123rd Intelligence Squadron as operations officer and squadron commander and served as chief of fighter squadron intelligence for both A-10 and F-16 units.
Rowlett also worked for the U.S. Department of Justice for more than 17 years as an intelligence specialist. His career included assignments with the 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) and the USAF Special Operations School, where he directed the Joint Psychological Operations Course.
Since 2020, he had served as chief at SOFPREP while continuing his duties with the Arkansas Air National Guard. His professional life reflected a deep commitment to national security, service and the mentorship of those under his leadership. Rowlett was the go-to cell phone data analyst for high profile federal cases in North Mississippi because of his reputation as one of the best in the field.
Rowlett was living in Florida with his wife Marisa. He also had a daughter, Rachael, and a son, Jack. He is the third of the main players on the prosecution of Quinton Tellis in the Jessica Chambers case to die since the second trial. He was preceded by District Attorney John Champion in 2022 and MBI Investigator Tim Douglas in 2024.
The city of Hattiesburg is expected to issue a release. Hattiesburg Police Department is the investigating agency. This is a developing story.