Criminal investigations, especially those that involve murder, are as prickly as a porcupine.
The reason: law enforcement officials don't want to give away too much too soon so they can get the perpetrator in custody as soon as possible, officials said.
Investigators and detectives remain quiet in an attempt to build their case and not spook their primary suspect or suspects. That is the case in Newton County with the ongoing murder investigation of Bobby Gregory.
"There is not a great deal we can say at this time," said Newton County Sheriff Jackie Knight Tuesday afternoon. "We don't want to say something that will hurt our case and set us back."
Gregory's body was found in his mobile home Dec. 14 at about 1 p.m. on Allgood Road between Decatur and Conehatta. At first authorities with the Newton County Sheriff's Department thought they were conducting a death investigation involving someone who had died of natural causes. But when two days later they received the preliminary autopsy report back from the State Medical Examiners Office the case suddenly took on a different meaning.
""We didn't see the gunshot wounds when we found Mr. Gregory," said Knight. "We had an autopsy performed on Mr.Gregory and it did show that he had been shot twice in the head with a small caliber weapon."
The fact local authorities didn't find any outward appearance of gunshot wounds or other causes of death is not that unusual. Lauderdale County Coroner Clayton Cobler said it is easier than you think to overlook something when dealing with a dead body.
"This isn't TV," said Cobler, who spent 22 years as an assistant coroner and the last six as coroner. "Not all of these instances are as cut and dry as you see on TV. There are times when there isn't anything obvious and then you get the report back from the medical examiners and your like, 'You're kidding me! He was shot!'"
In one recent case Cobler said authorities had everything they needed to determine the cause of death they couldn't find a bullet hole. Cobler said when he received the autopsy report back from Jackson it stated the bullet hole was just inside the hairline of the victim.
"We missed it but the medical examiner found it," Cobler said. "It just happens."
Knight said they've yet to charge anyone in the case, but they do have some persons of interest.
"We are working every day on this case and trying to not leave any stone unturned," Knight said. "Sometimes these things just take time."
If you have any information concerning this case, you may call the Newton County Sheriff's Office at (601) 635-2101.
Local News
Death probe ongoing
Newton Co. officials remain tight-lipped
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City passes FY2011 budget
The city of Meridian has managed to pass its FY2011 budget without raising property taxes and without much delay, but that doesn't mean it's going to be smooth sailing for the rest of the fiscal year, according to Finance and Records Director Ed Skipper.
"There are so many variables right now," said Skipper. "You always have the variables, and you don't know if what you're projecting is actually going to be." -
Arrest imminent in shooting
Authorities with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday afternoon they will likely arrest today the person of interest in Monday's shooting incident in Lauderdale.
LCSD Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said until that arrest is made authorities will withhold the name of the suspect, said to be a 74-year old woman. -
Public Hearing
Any time there's a tax increase, the public is going to protest it, and that's exactly what happened at a public hearing on Lauderdale County's proposed budget Tuesday evening.
The county plans to raise the property tax rate for FY2011 by 1.87 mills county-wide, and 3.95 mills inside the city limits. The proposed increase follows a millage decrease of 2.41 mills county-wide and 3.78 mills inside the city during FY2010. -
La. and Miss. authorities looking for SUV
Louisiana and Mississippi law enforcement authorities are seeking information regarding a blue SUV from Lauderdale County that has been reported in the area of a trailer in Lake Charles, La., where four bodies were found Monday.
Law enforcement authorities are looking for a dark blue 2000 Ford Explorer XLT registered in Lauderdale County, with tag LCE 755. -
Sanitation stalemate continues
Local politicians are soon going to have to do something that they often find excruciatingly difficult — find a way to agree.
If they don't come to some kind of agreement on the city's garbage pick-up contract, October will be a very stinky month in Meridian.
At Tuesday's city council meeting, the majority of the council engaged the mayor and the minority of the council in a game of garbage pick-up chicken. -
Earnest Workers’ Circle contributes to TEAAM
Dr. Mark Yeager was the speaker for the May meeting of the Earnest Workers' Circle of Kings Daughters and Sons, International. He is the Director of TEAAM (Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi), which is the state-based autism organization.
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Meridian to celebrate Jimmie Rodgers birthday
In celebration of The Father of Country Music’s birthday today, locals and visitors are invited to tour the Jimmie Rodgers Museum and Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart’s American Musical Odyssey free of charge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Holiday on The Links
Jake Sterling hits a shot from the 8th fairway as Ed Brown and John Rea watch during the championship rounds of the 2010 Labor Day Invitational at Northwood Country Club Monday.
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MPD looking for domestic violence suspect
Detectives with the Meridian Police Department Criminal Investigation Division are seek information on the possible whereabouts of Sedrick Bohannon.
Bohannon is a 24-year-old black male, standing about 5'07" and weighs about 150 pounds. He currently has a mini dread hairstyle. -
Evening shooting leaves one dead
A shooting at about 5:15 p.m. Monday left one person dead and another seriously injured.
The deceased woman's name is Lee Ann Temple, age 30.
The suspect, a 74-year old woman, is in custody. - More Local News Headlines
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City passes FY2011 budget
