Where Are Christopher Shields and Germaine Strickland now? Details explored as Murder Under the Friday Night Lights revisits the case

Christopher Shields and Germaine Strickland were at the center of the investigation into the 2001 murder of 18-year-old Josh Missiledine, a high school cheerleader from Gulfport, Mississippi. Missiledine was last seen on November 30, and his abandoned car was discovered that same day, missing its stereo system.

The following afternoon, authorities found his body inside a vacant trailer on Fountain Street, where he had sustained fatal head injuries from a wooden object, according to a January 2002 report by WLOX.

Christopher Shields is incarcerated at South Mississippi Correctional Institution and is scheduled for release in November 2026. Meanwhile, Germaine Strickland has completed his sentence and is believed to be living a private life, as reported by The Cinemaholic.

Murder Under the Friday Night Lights revisited the case on March 5, 2025, in the episode titled Nothing to Cheer About. The episode shed light on the events surrounding the crime and the current whereabouts of Christopher Shields and Germaine Strickland.

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Christopher Shields served 20 years for manslaughter plus time for a 2001 burglary and 1992 robberies

Christopher Shields and Germaine Strickland were convicted in connection with the 2001 murder of 18-year-old Josh Missiledine, a high school cheerleader from Gulfport, Mississippi. Missiledine disappeared on November 30, 2001, and his abandoned car was found downtown with the stereo missing, according to WLOX.

A day later, authorities discovered his body inside a vacant trailer on Fountain Street, where he had suffered fatal head injuries inflicted by a wooden object, as reported by The Cinemaholic on March 5, 2025.

Investigators quickly identified Christopher Shields and Germaine Strickland as primary suspects. Both men had conflicting accounts of what happened that night. Shields alleged that an argument over drug money escalated between Strickland and Missiledine, leading to Strickland attacking him.

Meanwhile, Strickland claimed that Shields struck Missiledine with a wooden stick. Authorities determined that both men intended to rob Missiledine’s car stereo to buy crack cocaine, according to The Cinemaholic.

In December 2001, Christopher Shields was arrested and charged with murder, while Strickland faced capital murder charges. A judge initially set their bonds at $5 million, but Strickland’s defense attorney successfully appealed for a reduction, arguing that there was no physical evidence tying them to the crime.

As reported by WLOX, in March 2002, Strickland's bond was lowered to $10,000, allowing him to walk free.

By January 2004, Christopher Shields pleaded guilty to manslaughter, maintaining that he never intended to harm Missiledine.

"I knew he (Josh) was hurt. When I left the trailer I didn't know how bad. I remember him sayin' something. I know I didn't do anything. Maybe he could've been saved. It wasn't intentional," he told the court as per a WLOX report published on January 21, 2004.

The judge sentenced Shields to 20 years in prison. Additionally, he received extra time for a 2001 burglary and two robberies committed in 1992, according to WLOX. Meanwhile, Strickland, who cooperated with the prosecution, was sentenced to five years and required to complete a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, as reported by The Cinemaholic.

As of 2025, Germaine Strickland has long since completed his sentence and is believed to be living a private life. Shields, however, remains incarcerated at the South Mississippi Correctional Institution and is scheduled for release in November 2026.

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Murder Under the Friday Night Lights's recent episode, Nothing to Cheer About, revisits the circumstances that led to Missiledine’s murder. Stay tuned for more updates.