No new developments in recent murder cases

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August 25, 2010

By Brian Livingston / blivingston@themeridianstar.com The Meridian Star The Meridian Star Wed Aug 25, 2010, 06:00 AM CDT

MERIDIAN —     Detectives with the Meridian Police Department are still pursuing leads into the shooting death of a woman at the Highway Village Apartment Complex.

   MPD Capt. James Sharpe said Tuesday no arrests have been made in connection with this incident and that no suspects have surfaced.

   At about 12:52 a.m. Friday, July 30, MPD patrolmen were called to the apartment complex located at 506 Front Street Extension where they found a 28-year old female, later identified as Latonya Lafaye Gowdy, suffering from two gunshot wounds to the torso. Gowdy was rushed to a Meridian hospital where she later died. Two other people, a 31-year old man and a 30-year old woman, sustained minor injuries during the incident. They were transported to local emergency rooms where they were treated and released.

   MPD officials ask that if anyone has information on the shooting to please contact the Meridian Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at (601) 485-1893, (601) 485-1859 or CrimeStoppers at (601) 485-1860.

   There also have been no new developments in the shooting death of a Wayne County man whose body was found in Clarke County last week.

   According to Clarke County Coroner Gregg Fairchild, the preliminary report from Jackson listed the death of Joe Michael Ruffin, 35, as a homicide. Fairchild said the report showed Ruffin died as the result of a single shotgun blast to the back.

   Clarke County Sheriff Todd Kemp said there is still no suspect or person of interest in the case.

   "Don't have anything new at this time," Kemp said Tuesday afternoon. "But we are still digging."

   Ruffin's body was found in the back seat of his 2003 Cadillac DeVille at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday on Clarke County Road 242 near Vossburg.

   Kemp said Ruffin's wife reported him missing Aug. 13 to Wayne County officials.

   Investigators are still in the preliminary stages of getting the early evidence and information gathered so they can begin to map out the circumstances surrounding the incident, he said.

   Kemp said multiple agencies, including the Wayne County Sheriff's Department and police department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, are all teaming up on the case.

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