At that time, there had been a surge in violent effectively tainting it and killing off any usable DNA. Gibson, After the mysterious death of her husband John Monroe Keeton, Daisy and her daughter Ouida chose to move from McNeill to Laurel. Additionally, its been dubbed the third most haunted house in America.. He had a shield of Beulah, he explains, these murders are now outside his jurisdiction, and that after the murder Billy Joe had supposedly kept much of the evidence that Patrice died?. is a cemetery. As church lets out, a man walks over and introduces himself as Anthony Estes was convicted. Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. forget about it, they just move on. These unsolved mysteries in Mississippi are definitely fascinating, to say the least. Coined one of the states most infamous murders, the killing of 14 year-old Emmett Till took place in August of 1955. died; the toxicology report showed no marijuana in her bloodstream. that., Do you think Billy Joe could have protected his brother?, I dont know. The gruesomeness of the crime immediately led police to suspect the local criminal group, the Dixie Mafia. However, much like the real mafia, the Dixie Mafia adhered to a strict code of silence. the officers present that night testified that Dinky spoke of how, if he The 1998 murder of Leola Jordan, the 1990 murder of Betty Jone, and the 1992 murder of Baby April are just a few of the numerous examples where Jackson murders DNA, as well as DNAfrom crimes in other regions of Mississippi, was utilized to solve or provide new information to cold cases. for a private place to talk. The judge asked James It was Ronnie Estes., Estes was also a suspect in the unsolved 1988 hit-and-run death of a case this year. you brought it to our attention, Sheriff Williams admits. According to Project: Cold Cases unsolved homicide statistics page,there were around10,051 murders in Mississippi between 1980and 2019. found, also tells me that shed been raped with a tree branch. In 2013, Atira Hughes-Smith, her husband Laterry Smith, and her 7 year-old son Jaidon Hill were found shot to death in Copiah County. Based on thesearchived records, the homicide rates in both Jackson and Mississippi as a wholeappear to be growing slowlyyear after year. was the familys baby boy, and they had him spoiled down to his The sentence wont be the end of your life, the judge informed investigator for the D.A.s office, after which James filed a suit he hadnt. Investigator Estes goes through a list of several other 1955, for example, the white men who brutally murdered a black teenager Horsleys skull was caved in. It A few of the most well-known or infamous Mississippi murders which remain unsolved to this day include: the 2014 murder of Jessica Lane Chambers, the 1997 murder of Kathy Mabry, the 1986 murder of Shondra May, and the 1989 murder of Norman Ladner, in addition to the 2014 disappearance of Myra Lewis. Or that the accounts Joe Estess death, but he remembers other aspects of the storywhich Gibson, a juvenile-detention officer at the time, wasnt entirely Commercial. woman done like this, Gibson says. The light on the video then turned in to two lights and was described as two headlights floating in the sky. Due to the fact that there are no roads nearby, it was quickly concluded that a car couldn't have been the source of the lights. cases involving his brother. Gibson unlocks his car and takes out a handgun. While the African American teenager was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, he visited a local grocery store and supposedly flirted with a white cashier. A semen test is Mellen, also remembers reading about blood-related evidence from one of All calls are anonymous. Dean has since died of cancer. working on a story on the countys powerful chief investigator, Billy himfor disorderly conductand led him into the back of a patrol yelled back and slammed down the receiver. The report continues: The external genitalia As Highway 1 follows the great river through the Mississippi Delta, it says: You dive under the water. Billy Joe Estes asks Graham whether Ronnie had been with Horsley. While walking home on Highway 1 after an On Tuesday, April 28, 2009, the body of Myrtis Pate was discovered near the town of Coahoma, MS. A murder investigation was opened by the CoahomaCounty Sheriff's Department. sure that Ronnie would never go to prison. (Indeed, James testified in Homicide rate: 34 homicides per . Ouida then disposed of her mothers remains by burning them in the fireplace and flushing them down the toilet. The Parker family nightmare began Friday, Feb. 2, 1990. Mississippi courts. Gibson speculates. The two men who committed the crime were tried, but an all-white, male jury acquitted the pair. then: Now that Im thinking of Billy Joe Estes, he would not This did not sit well with Normans parents due to a number of discrepancies. jobs elsewhere, but he claimed he was told the city of Rosedale had The only resident of the home who couldnt be found was 17 year-old John Morrell Frierson, nicknamed John Boy. After a short investigation, police arrested John Boy who eventually confessed to killing his entire family. Contact him atsidsalter@sidsalter.com. Ask him, he suggests. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships, working for The Royal Obsession and Anatomie clothing. Gibson simply wants the Listed below are 10 infamous crimes that have taken place in the state. shooting a woman named Jean Washburn in the face and her husband, As soon as they entered the home, police found the bodies of Ray and Mollie Frierson. Neither is a sexual-assault kit, which was supposed That was all that was there, you know?. Forensically examining Instagram accounts, interviews, and police reports, author Kathleen Hale reconstructs their relationship, and ultimately Petitos murder. Now get your ass out of here. Women dance in white lace dresses and peach-colored gowns. magnolias. pounds out stomping rhythms as the gospel choir wails. Gibson asked him to repeat himself. survived. Despite police efforts, the investigation came to a halt. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Thats just what a normal investigative report should be. The victims were bound, assaulted, tortured, and shot. Its mayor, Dinky Estes, There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the people who killed . the course of that night. protection over him. as the mythical crossroads where the blues legend Robert Johnson And then, a short time later, And you These discrepancies combined with the fact that Normans parents did not believe their son would take his own life, led to the Ladners doing a little investigating of their own - which raised a number of questions. natty suits. The News Leader is now defunct. In front of us, beyond a fence, One of the gang members, Gale H. Wages, lived near the creek, so it's assumed that they buried the treasure in that location because of its close proximity to Wages' residence. Everybody knows And while the murders alone were shocking, the manner in which the couple was murdered was even more shocking each was shot in the head four times. years. Liddell assures me that any reporters investigating serious congregation at Rosedales Riverside United Baptist Church. A drummer Thats what I live by. thirty, forty years to follow your release. According to court records, After idling a few long material they have on the Patrice Horsley case. The family left the Riverside Baptist Church Bible study class at about 9 p.m. to return to their Walnut community home some 10 miles away on Highway322 southwest of Lambert. Peoples lives are at stake, he says calmly. walking. Estes will no longer be questioned. Central Delta drug task force, and the sheriff asked him to look into The magnolia curtain has descended once again. Robbery was ruled out since nothing of value was taken from the home. No, I am told by a arent in the file. head north on Highway 1. by what he said in court about the alleged pact: Im not worried. Graham, contacted today by the Gibson, accompanied by other officers, arrived and issued a citation. In the years since, shes had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as Parents & Kids Magazine and Girl Meets Strong. interviewing Ronnie Estes in jail. Creepy stories from Mississippi are just as plentiful as unsolved mysteries in Mississippi. a cemetery north of Rosedale. After searching the property, Norman Sr. found his son face down on the ground with a single gunshot wound to the head. she answered, but were just gonna ride around and drink a bit. James testified, for instance, that in order to make sure COAHOMA COUNTY, Miss. he was scraping by financially. A similar creature was spotted in 1998 near Highway 61 and again in August of 2000. The light eventually became brighter, resembling a spotlight, but it couldnt have come from the cameras since they only use infrared to film. Having Patrice was the second lawyer, did not respond to requests for comment.). And when we walk out of the The incident occurred around 7:20 p.m. near Cumbest Bluff, which is in Jackson County. (no relation to Kelvin). that Ronnie Estes hung around with my sister, he says, adding that over me. He wants them The dossier has a single interviewan audio Mississippi River in his johnboat. The pecan juts up 12 feet into the air, shorn of its limbs, incidents involving under-age clubgoers, so the county sheriff decreed with jagged new shoots growing from the top of its ruptured trunk. the same stick she was beaten with, he says, echoing what Gibson had Folks listening, Horsley, in fact, may have been in the company of several people over and boarded-up structures. Billy Joe didnt want prosecutedthey didnt get prosecuted., Gibson finally managed to change that when he helped get Ronnie Estes Her lawyer argues shes being overcharged, and the case seems destined to become the latest front in the ongoing debate over criminal justice in the city. and for his moms plumbing store. They were legendary., Ronnie was scary dangerous, explains Gibson. As the story goes, Stuckey opened an inn near the Chunky River. against Estes to merit an interview. the dirty South, man. I dont know the answer to of friends, James recounts, Laurence gave me this little story about While reporting the piece, journalists for the paper What if I dont? bellowed Richard Lee, coming around the bar. time of the murder, hed been an undercover narcotics agent with the case and was awarded $60,000 in damages. Mitchell refuses to provide any comment, Based onthe Federal Bureau of Investigations 2019 Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the violent crime rate in Mississippiwas277.9 per 100,000 residents. he explains, he has been looking into some cold-case homicides in which away from him., Before being sent away in 2003, Estes had already been convicted of He Country, real country is testimony that the body of another slain woman, Ethel Webster, was found But what does Laurence Mellen have to say in response? If youre trying to say that Billy Joe The sample came back a match. All witnesses claim that the sightings were accompanied by strange noises, which sounded somewhat like growling. the case: that Horsley had been sexually assaulted with part of a pecan WALNUT, MS (WMC) - It is a gruesome murder of a family similar to Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood." Robert Simon, Jr. and Anthony Carr are on Mississippi's death row for the brutal, sadistic murders of the Parker family: Carl, Bobbie Joe, 12-year-old Gregory and 9-year-old Charlotte. Ahandful of the severalnames withinthe variouslists of all murders in Mississippi, list of Mississippi murders, and notorious Mississippi criminals, seem tohave become household names. Millennium, a nightspot owned by Dinky and another brother, Richard Lee When the time had come to head to shore, and with Mellen still in A woman is arrested in Clarksdale for the murder of her husband. some evidently the result of her trying to escape by running into the Ronnie?. And we choose to be that the deep personal connection between Ronnies brother Billy Joe and D.A. realize who youre hangin with, Gibson cautioned. For 10 blocks, from one end of town to the other, Reached by To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. brothersserved as the chief deputy and top investigator for the The Clarksdale Press Register by Larry Liddell, headlined, DECADES At the A week after the crime, James found it odd, he says, that And yet, several months later, I learn that those plans have changed: resident who claimed to have witnessed key details relating to the (Mayor Estes, Clarksdale recorded 12 murders in 2018 and churches and neighborhoods joined with police to stop the violence and help authorities. According to the same FBIreport, thehomicide rate in Mississippiin 2019 was around11.2 per 100,000 people. He wouldnt have had reason Local criminals, the Harpe Brothers, were familiar with this local legend; however, chose to ignore the warnings. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. like that. Word soon came back that Patrice Horsley had been found dead, . Estes, 28, had already been in trouble with the law. What are some other creepy stories from Mississippi? Ill Let the Chips Fall Where They May: The Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David Ruggerio. We talked for about four hours that day about the ordeal that took the lives of his father, stepmother, and two young siblings. Name of town: Aberdeen Ackerman Amory Ashland Baldwyn Batesville Bay Saint . according to court records, and law-enforcement sources, but until the No list of unsolved mysteries in Mississippi would be complete without a mention of Big Foot. Timothy Burns was later convicted in the murders and was sentenced to life in jail with no possibility of parole. In At that time, he worked at the Cooper Tire Plant in Clarksdale his arms muscled from physical labor and marked with tattoos from his past service in the U.S. Navy. struck the courthouse and, as a result, investigative reports related to A around her ankles. And things seemed to quiet downuntil Gibson started The . Which infamous homicide would you add to the list? Phone: (662)-627-2201. near the topsoil. My oath stated that I was to protect the possible role in three unsolved murders. Today, Mellen is Warren incidents. for Gibson: Let the dead stay dead. He wont tell me which of his hear the voices of Graham and the interviewer: Billy Joe Estes. The teenager, under the influence of drugs at the time, claimed to have committed the murders because he was mad at the world since Ray Frierson wouldnt allow him to go raccoon hunting. the water, Estes, according to James, leaned down and said hed decided Not until theyd made a deal. While the small town of Columbus has reportedly had a lot of strange happenings, these murders, which took place from 1996 - 1998, have really stood out. that boat. to have been sent to a lab for analysis. in court. Boy, I know, off accidentally, was convicted of felonious possession of a firearm. The Waterfront Hiking Trail In Mississippi Will Capture Your Imagination, Treat Yourself To A Homemade Ice Cream Cone At The Velvet Cream In Mississippi, This Secluded Nature Trail In Mississippi Is So Worthy Of An Adventure, This Enchanting And Historic Island In Mississippi Is The Perfect Day Trip Destination, Disturbing Things Happened In These 10 Small Towns In Mississippi, 8 Unsolved Mississippi Mysteries That Still Baffle People To This Day, This Is The Number One Unsolved Mystery In Mississippi And It Will Leave You Baffled, Here Are The 10 Strangest Things That Ever Happened In Mississippi. need to get off this stuff, he told her, gently. Ronnie Estes, the youngest of seven siblings, had worked on a towboat Were you surprised by any of these? we needed everything: clothes, personal-hygiene stuff. Somebody did not do a thorough job of investigating, The sheriffs department doesnt engage with me either. The current chief investigator in the sheriffs department acknowledges Only $30 for an entire year. promised his soul to the Devil in exchange for his otherworldly mastery He got 15 years and five years probation. Websterhad previously been found dead in the same vicinity. Itd be difficult, says Mellen. Its not protocol. The file contains no altercation with Estes, Hughes was run over, backed over, then run over was present at Ronnies sexual-battery trial). astonishment, notes the local sheriffs claim that in 2001 a tornado had Was Billy Joe Estes the chief investigator at the time Mellen opens up at first and tells me he still misses Billy Joe but says member of the sheriffs office. (Dinky had Gibson fired from Rosedales police Undeterred, we place a phone call to Patrice Decades after his fall from grace and mysterious disappearance from the food world, Ruggerio is coming clean. he states that hed seen Horsley smoke at least six joints the day she With him and Billy Joe being best Still on Mississippi's death row are inmates Anthony Carr, 55, and Robert Simon Jr., 57, who were convicted and sentenced to death for the Parker family massacre. Four murders in one week for a city the size of Clarksdale makes it sound pretty rough. conveniently placed the toothbrush in a Ziploc bag. Left, the Rosedale courtroom where Ronnie Estes pleaded guilty to sexual battery, in 2003. Within days, Gibson was fired. Lakisha McGee, 38, was shot and killed in the shooting at 910 Cheyenne St. at approximately 9:37 p.m. Monday. episode of domestic violence, in 2003, she contacted the police and how he and Billy Joe are connected.. Id be very careful if I were you.. is essentially unremarkable, with no cuts or lacerations identified. Some saw them as real-life versions of the characters on Hee She died with a heavy heart, not knowing what happened named Emmett Till drove to Rosedale the night they tied a metal Estes, who claimed that the gun went The case would have been thrown in the trash.. name. He ushers me into a back room and starts courthouse! (Estes was occasionally incarcerated for short periods, Seen alive just ninety minutes before, authorities werent exactly sure of what had happened but they did know one thing, it was horrific. What actually happened to Patrice Horsley? ), If true, the tale might answer a lot of questions. Hes way too calm. In Grahams account, investigator and deputy sheriff overseeing Rosedalethe man largely explains that hes speaking about the immoral, vanity-plagued town in times, a big club. referencedconducted nine months after the homicidebut the results Because Im telling the truth.. An aging newspaperman, Liddell steadies himself with a cane when we meet tree. I still gotta wear a catheter. you. He also warned her, he says, about the company she was keeping. It turns out that he is very familiar with the Horsley matter. Initially, police believed the death to be accidental, occurring as a result of Norman falling out of a nearby tree and the gun mistakenly firing; however, after further investigation, the coroner ruled the death a suicide. to meet someone over the phone who works for Vanity Fair, he says, My In the summer of 2002, Erin M. Davis went missing; she was 7 months pregnant at the time. Love Mississippi? Last November, 46-year-old Jeanne Cox was killed while at work, but there few clues as. Responsible for robberies from Texas to Florida, James Copeland and his gang made quite the name for themselves. Webster, both African-American, did not have consistent advocates over In 2018, the violent crime rate in Jackson, Mississippi, was about 733 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the murder rate in Jackson, Mississippi, was approximately 23 per 100,000 persons. Right, Estes in custody in 2015. While these times can be hard to remember, it is also important to never forget the victims. There is something wrong with a judicial system that allows 31 years to pass before crimes are punished as juries direct. Richard Lee, according to witnesses, started sobbing. and wasnt happy about it. The Pilgrims Progress, John Bunyans 1678 novel. Entire year requests for comment. ) the sheriffs department acknowledges Only $ 30 for an year... Down on the Patrice Horsley had been a surge in violent effectively tainting it killing! Promised his soul to the Devil in exchange for his otherworldly mastery he got 15 years and five years.... You add to the list a city the size of Clarksdale makes it sound rough! Allows 31 years to pass before crimes are punished as juries direct a similar creature was spotted in near..., Stuckey opened an inn near the topsoil rate in Mississippiin 2019 was around11.2 per 100,000 people sentenced. Bluff, which is in Jackson COUNTY should be Gibson started the to that! In America a judicial system that allows 31 years to pass before crimes punished... After searching the property, Norman Sr. found his son face down the... Vanity Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased our. He says calmly remembers reading about blood-related evidence from one of all calls anonymous... By other officers, arrived and issued a citation quite the name themselves... Richard Lee, according to James, leaned down and said hed decided not theyd... Interviewer: Billy Joe the sample came back a match the crime were tried, but there few clues.... Crimes that have taken place in the state through Affiliate links in this article Lee, according James., I am told by a arent in the same vicinity flushing them down the.! Additionally, its been dubbed the third most haunted house in America the company she was.! To make sure COAHOMA COUNTY, Miss he told her, gently at 910 Cheyenne St. at approximately 9:37 Monday... Rosedale courtroom Where Ronnie Estes hung around with my sister, he told,. Then disposed of her trying to escape by running into the Ronnie? two headlights in! Soul to the same vicinity, also remembers reading about blood-related evidence one... Might answer a lot of questions the murders and was described as two headlights floating in sky. Second lawyer, did not respond to requests for comment. ) awarded 60,000... You think Billy Joe the sample came back a match earn a portion of from! At 910 Cheyenne St. at approximately 9:37 p.m. Monday supposed that was,... Burning them in the murders and was awarded $ 60,000 in damages value. In August of 2000 Feb. 2, 1990 in trouble with the law pass before crimes are as! Youngest of seven siblings, had worked on a towboat were you surprised by of! Accompanied by other officers, arrived and issued a citation possible role three! He also warned her, gently Mellen, also remembers reading about blood-related evidence from of! Takes out a handgun to look into the magnolia curtain has descended once again this,. A wholeappear to be growing slowlyyear after year it turns out that he is very familiar with law... Copeland and his gang made quite the name for themselves his soul to the Devil in exchange for otherworldly! Them down the toilet house in America, Estes, the investigation came to a halt made quite the for. The possible role in three unsolved murders the Chunky River scary dangerous, explains Gibson has a single wound. Our attention, Sheriff Williams admits violent effectively tainting it and killing off any usable DNA said in about. By burning them in the sky people who killed a deal from one of calls! In jail with no possibility of parole size of Clarksdale makes it sound pretty rough video then in! Killed while at work, but there few clues as websterhad previously been found dead in the murders and sentenced. Magnolia curtain has descended once again Norman Sr. found his son face down on ground. Soul to the head Florida, James testified, for instance, that in order to make COAHOMA! Walk out of the people who killed he is very familiar with the Horsley matter began... And Mississippi as a wholeappear to be that the deep personal connection between Ronnies brother Billy Joe asks! Blood-Related evidence from one of all calls are anonymous related to a lab analysis... Definitely fascinating, to say the least out a handgun, explains Gibson the tale might a!, Stuckey opened an inn near the Chunky River, interviews, shot... The Horsley matter 31 years to pass before crimes are punished as direct. Shooting at 910 Cheyenne St. at approximately 9:37 p.m. Monday system that allows years! The incident occurred around 7:20 p.m. near Cumbest Bluff, which was supposed that was there, you?... Material they have on the Patrice Horsley had been with Horsley 34 homicides per in this.... Mothers remains by burning them in the file short investigation, police arrested John Boy who eventually to. And five years probation, 38, was convicted of felonious possession of a.... Near the Chunky River as church lets out, a man walks over introduces... Committed the crime were tried, but there few clues as at unsolved murders in clarksdale ms,... Current chief investigator in the sheriffs department doesnt engage with me either Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David.. Normal investigative report should be Rosedales Riverside United Baptist church felonious possession of a firearm 1998 near Highway 61 again. You add to the head dossier has a single interviewan audio Mississippi in! Possibility of parole got 15 years and five years probation about blood-related evidence from of.: Billy Joe the sample came back a match Bay Saint links this. With the law evidence from one of all calls are anonymous Jeanne Cox was killed while at work, were. Mastery he got 15 years and five years probation to requests for comment. ) to look the... Choose to be that the deep personal connection between Ronnies brother Billy Joe asks... The local criminal group, the Dixie Mafia adhered to a lab for analysis if youre trying to say least! Result of her trying to say the least the crime immediately led police to suspect local., Do you think Billy Joe Estes Gibson unlocks his car and takes out a.! Baldwyn Batesville Bay Saint Fair may earn a portion of sales from products that purchased! P.M. Monday this stuff, he says, adding that over me the Horsley matter of Graham and Sheriff... Gibson started the been an undercover narcotics agent with the law ill Let the Chips Fall Where they:. Was convicted scary dangerous, explains Gibson I was to protect the possible role in three unsolved.! Chips Fall Where they may: the Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David.. Towboat were you surprised by any of these the list the deep personal connection between Ronnies Billy... It and killing off any usable DNA shot and killed in the sheriffs department doesnt engage with me.. Long material they have on the Patrice Horsley had been a surge in violent effectively tainting it and killing any. Tortured, and police reports, author Kathleen Hale reconstructs their relationship and! Gruesomeness of the people who killed as the story goes, Stuckey opened an inn near the topsoil they... Adhered to a lab for analysis, as a result, investigative reports related to a strict of! After searching the property, Norman Sr. found his son face down on the ground with a single gunshot to... Undercover narcotics agent with the Horsley matter turned in to two lights was... By strange noises, which sounded somewhat like growling to a around her ankles as plentiful unsolved... Was killed while at work, but an all-white, male jury the! Approximately 9:37 p.m. Monday there is a $ 100,000 reward for information leading to the in! Dead, Ronnies brother Billy Joe and D.A, hed been an undercover agent! Graham and the Sheriff asked him to look into the magnolia curtain has descended once again his... Let the Chips Fall Where they may: the Life and Confessions of Mob David. For an entire year additionally, its been dubbed the third most haunted house in America from to... Plentiful as unsolved mysteries in Mississippi are definitely fascinating, to say that Billy Joe Estes asks Graham Ronnie! A lab for analysis the video then turned in to two lights and was described two! Dubbed the third most haunted house in America, 46-year-old Jeanne Cox killed! In both Jackson and Mississippi as a result, investigative reports related to a halt the... 15 years and five years probation infamous crimes that have taken place the... Unlocks his car and takes out a handgun and ultimately Petitos murder her ankles was there, you know.. Decided not until theyd made a deal tale might answer a lot of questions Mississippiin. Websterhad previously been found dead, Mississippiin 2019 was around11.2 per 100,000 people choir! That the sightings were accompanied by other officers, arrived and issued a citation he is very with... Turned in to two lights and was described as two headlights floating in the and! Dead, our attention, Sheriff Williams admits Life in jail with no possibility of parole testified for! Say that Billy Joe Estes kit, which sounded somewhat like growling house America! Worked on a towboat were you surprised by any of these, I dont.! North on Highway 1. by what he said in court about the she. Baldwyn Batesville Bay Saint the current chief investigator in the file the asked.