Assault charge upgraded to murder

New Today

Discussion

February 27, 2013

Assault charge upgraded to murder

Anonymous Associated Press Wed Feb 27, 2013, 08:19 AM CST

GULFPORT, Miss. —

Harrison County deputies have upgraded an aggravated assault charge against a Gulfport man to murder after a housemate he's accused of beating died.

The Sun Herald reports Authorities had arrested 40-year-old Johnny Otis Owens III on Monday after they were called to a home in Gulfport.

Sheriff's Maj. Ron Pullen says 50-year-old Larry Johnson had been in critical condition at a local hospital when his family agreed to remove him from life support Tuesday afternoon.

Justice Court Judge Diane Ladner had set Owens' bond on the assault charge at $500,000. She dismissed the assault charge and increased the bond to $1 million on the murder charge.

It was unclear whether Owens has an attorney.

Text Only

New Today

Dog set afire in George Co. dies of its injuries
Authorities say a 20-year-old Lucedale man arrested on a charge of animal cruelty is accused of dousing his 5-year-old Chihuahua mix in a flammable liquid and setting it on fire.

May 24, 2013
From bank teller gets prison time in bank fraud
Former Picayune bank teller Vonetta Jordan has been sentenced to 17 months in prison for bank fraud and ordered to repay over $117,000.

May 24, 2013
Mom delivered baby as tornado struck
Shayla Taylor was so far along in labor that her nurses at Moore Medical Center decided not to move her when Monday's tornado hit. They waited out the storm in an operating room, where the wall disappeared as the tornado hit the building.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
Twitter introduces website security tool after AP account hacked
Twitter is adding a new security tool to its website, making it harder for outsiders to gain access to accounts, a month after a false posting triggered a stock-market decline.

May 24, 2013 1 Photo
(PHOTOS) Newton County Class 4A State Championship Slideshow from games one and two of the MHSAA Class 4A State Championship.
May 24, 2013
Body found in church graveyard
Jefferson County and state law enforcement officials are investigating the death of a 24-year-old woman whose body was discovered in the graveyard of East Mount Olive Baptist Church.

May 23, 2013
Okla. officials vow not to quit looking until everyone is found
The tornado that killed 24 people and injured at least 100 others in the Moore and Oklahoma City area cut a 17-mile-long path that started in Newcastle and ended at Lake Stanley Draper. Nine of the dead are children.

May 23, 2013 1 Photo 1 Slideshow
In fan fiction, your favorite characters do what you want them to
When J.J. Abrams took over the "Star Trek" franchise in 2009, he boldly went where the series hadn't gone before — romantically — pairing Uhura with Spock. Many fans disliked the change. Some loved it. Others didn't care, because they just wanted to see Kirk and Spock make out.

May 23, 2013 1 Photo
VIDEO: Orlando shootout tied to Boston bomb suspect
The FBI says it was involved in a fatal shooting near Universal Studios in Orlando, Fla. CBS News senior correspondent John Miller reports that the victim was a friend of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the older brother suspected in the Boston Marathon bombing.

May 23, 2013 1 Photo
Where to get the best deal on beer, haircuts, movies
Looking for a good deal on a six-pack of beer? Try Charlotte. A haircut that won't burn a hole in your wallet? Harlingen, Texas, is your best bet. A trip to the movies? Hilo, Hawaii, is supposed to be nice this time of year.

May 23, 2013 1 Photo
More New Today Headlines

Biz Marquee

New Today

Dog set afire in George Co. dies of its injuries
Authorities say a 20-year-old Lucedale man arrested on a charge of animal cruelty is accused of dousing his 5-year-old Chihuahua mix in a flammable liquid and setting it on fire.

May 24, 2013
From bank teller gets prison time in bank fraud
Mom delivered baby as tornado struck
Twitter introduces website security tool after AP account hacked
(PHOTOS) Newton County Class 4A State Championship

Poll

Do you support the opening of a new Meridian Police Department police station on 22nd Avenue?

Facebook

Twitter Updates

Follow me on Twitter

AP Video

Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse

Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored

Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse

American Held in Grisly Czech Murders

Hyperlocal Search

Popular Searches
Restaurants Tires Telecommunications	Pizza Restaurants Beauty Salons Government
Click for More
Car Rental Dentists Doctors Flowers Hotels Insurance Loans Mortgages Movers Pizza	Realtors Restaurants Storage Tax Preparation Travel Featured More...
Powered by Local.com

Audio: How can we better prepare for tornadoes?
An NPR broadcast examines the question of how communities can better prepare for tornadoes like the one that struck Moore, Okla. on Monday. The broadcast features commentary from Michael Fitzgerald, who reported a five-part disaster series for the CNHI News Service.

May 22, 2013 1 Photo
Photos: Aftermath of massive tornado in Moore
The Big One: Preparing for mid-America earthquake