Deaton

A nationwide “Be on the Lookout” alert has been issued for a man who could be linked to the death of a Neshoba county woman who was found shot in a Neshoba County church Thursday night.

According to a news release, Alex Bridges Deaton, 28, is wanted in the shooting of a jogger early Friday morning and is believed to be connected to the death of his girlfriend, 30-year-old Heather Robinson. According to a release from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, Deaton is wanted for aggravated assault and murder.

Robinson’s body was found inside her home at the Vineyard Apartments near the Castlewoods subdivision in Rankin County on Friday after the sheriff’s department received a request for a welfare check, the release said.

Neshoba County Sheriff Tommy Waddell said at this time he is not ready to name a suspect in the shooting death of Brenda Strickland Pinter, 69, who was found inside the office of Dixon Baptist Church – but has been in contact with Rankin County authorities about the Deaton case. According to Waddell, Deaton does have family in Neshoba County, but not in the Dixon community.

“There is a lot of speculation going around, but I’m not ready to go out on a limb at this point and name a suspect,” Waddell said. “When I do name a suspect I want to have covered all the bases, and as far as law enforcment we are not ready to make that call.”

Waddell said Pinter’s death was caused from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the autopsy report released Saturday morning. 

Pinter had gone to the church to clean it, and her husband went looking for her when she did not come home on time.

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigations released the following alert about Deaton:

The suspect is identified as Alex Bridges Deaton, 28, and is described as a white male, five feet, nine inches tall, weighing 170 pounds with hazel eyes and brown hair. Deaton is considered armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone comes in contact with Deaton they should not attempt to engage him but contact authorities via 911, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department at 601-825-1480, Crime Stoppers 601-355-8477. Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,500.00 reward for information leading to the arrest of Deaton.

Deaton is believed to be still driving a white 2012 GMC Acadia bearing Mississippi Nurses Foundation Tag Number F396.