Wednesday April 8,
2015
50 cents
Home & Garden
Taste
Try underused dahlias in summer landscapes.
Take maple syrup beyond breakfast.
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 119, No. 82
T-storms Today
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
Officials make capital murder arrest BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
A Corinth man has been charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of two people found in the Fields community near Rockhill over the weekend. Michael Lee Meeks, 24, of 32 County Road 332, Corinth remains jailed in the Alcorn County Jail awaiting bond. Meeks is charged with the shooting deaths of Archie Wayne Wil-
liams and Jeanette Martha Gray. Williams, 50, and Gray, 56, were found at Gray’s 155 County Road 171 home on Saturday around 12:30 Meeks p.m. “We received a call from a
concerned friend who normally goes to the home for coffee on Saturday,” said Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Reggie Anderson. “The friend went to the home and found them then called 911.” Anderson and investigator Tommy Hopkins responded to the scene where they found both Williams and Gray dead from a single gunshot wound from a .22 caliber firearm. “We believe they had been
dead for several days,” said Anderson. Meeks, on probation with the Mississippi Department of Corrections for shooting into an occupied dwelling, took a 1997 Ford pickup from the murder scene. Investigators have reason to believe the suspect might have taken other items. Meeks was arrested in Littleville, Ala. and charged with felony possession of a firearm. The gun is believed to be the
weapon used in the shooting deaths of Williams and Gray. The Cherokee, Ala. Police Department recovered the truck prior to Meeks being arrested in Littleville. “We want to thank both those departments for their assistance in the case,” said Anderson. No motive for the shootings has been learned by investigators as they continue the investigation into the case.
Chief addresses gang problem Suspects arrested
in armed robbery BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth Police Department apprehended two suspects in the armed robbery of an individual Tuesday afternoon. The individuals were not identified pending the anticipated filing of charges against them today. It happened about 2:40 p.m. at 1416 Waldron street. Capt.
Staff photo by Zack Steen
Corinth Police Chief Ralph Dance addresses the media at a press conference on Monday.
Search continues for suspects in shooting BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Following the weekend’s massive shootout which claimed two lives in east Corinth, Police Chief Ralph Dance continues to search for suspects while addressing the city’s potential gang problem. “I’d love to say we have found the killers, but we are still interviewing folks,” said Dance. “We have issued some search warrants on vehicles and we have sent some evidence to the crime lab.” Dance said his department has interviewed several potential suspects in the Satur-
“There’s really not a city in the country that doesn’t have gangs. The gangs in Corinth have always for the most part kept to themselves, until now.” Ralph Dance Police chief day night shooting deaths of 25-year-old Ahmarius Swinney and 22-year-old Deonta Herman outside Nashway Apartments off Proper Street. “There were at least six different shooters shooting from both sides,” Dance added. “We
know there was at least four different caliber guns used in the shootout, including handguns and rifles.” A gun was found on Herman, but evidence shows Swinney Please see GANGS | 3A
Landon Tucker said a man was working on a car at the residence when he was approached by two black males who asked to borrow his phone. They pulled a gun and took the man’s cell phone and wallet and ran from the scene. Police converged on the area to search for the suspects, who were picked up on Dorsey Street within about 90 minutes.
City names Dilworth to Board of Trustees BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Dennis Dilworth is the new appointee to the Corinth School District Board of Trustees. After wrestling with the decision for the past few meetings when other names were under consideration, the Board of Aldermen had a unanimous vote Tuesday night to appoint the 1992 Corinth High School graduate. Chip Wood made the motion with a second from J.C. Hill. “He is unique in that he has a child in the elementary school, the middle school and the high school,” said Wood. A father of four, Dilworth is involved with the cross country team and band boosters. The former CHS football standout
holds a number of team records. He is employed at Coca-Cola. “That’s my classmate, and he’s a fine individual,” said Kim Ratliff, who was present in his capacity with the city. Dilworth takes the seat previously held by Ann Walker, who had been serving as board president. Jerry Finger, now the senior trustee, was elected president in the school board’s last meeting. Walker served several fiveyear terms on the board. The other board members are Becky Null, Frank Davis and Chip Peterson. In other business, Director of Community Development and Planning Dave Huwe reported Please see DILWORTH | 2A
Avectus Healthcare will add another 70 jobs to expansion BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Avectus Healthcare Solutions will add another 70 jobs in addition to its previously announced expansion, officials said on Tuesday. With a $400,000 investment, the company will increase its total employment to approximately 270. In September, the com-
pany announced an expansion to accommodate an increase in business with the addition of 50 new jobs and retaining the existing 150 workers. “We are excited about expanding our operations in Corinth again,” said Avectus CEO Tim Smith. “We look forward to being able to offer the local workforce more opportunities and to
continue to be an active part in the community. We value our partners in the governor’s office, MDA, The Alliance and Alcorn County. The business climate in Mississippi is positioned for excellence, and we are honored to be a part of it.” Avectus, which coordinates third-party liability and workers’ compensation accounts
for hospitals and trauma centers throughout the country, will occupy the former Chadco building on South Tate Street. Alcorn County obtained a loan to purchase the building and will lease it to Avectus. Grants totaling more than $1.3 million are going toward renovating the building for office space and adding a parking area.
The company, which processes more than $1 billion in third-party liability accounts annually, had considered moving out of Corinth prior to the arrangement to use the old industrial property, which saw some improvements about 15 years ago when it became home to an accident reconstruction business.
25 years ago
On this day in history 150 years ago
Corinth Mayor E. S. Bishop attends the ground breaking ceremony at the NASA Advanced Solid Rocket Motor Plant in Tishomingo County. Gov. Ray Mabus attends as well.
Lee plans to break through the encircling army at Appomattox Court House. He orders an attack in the morning and the retreat to continue on to Lynchburg. He is distressed that night as he sees the campfires of over 80,000 Union troops.
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