Thursday Oct. 11,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 245
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
74
54
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section
Authorities investigate possible suicide/attempted murder Child airlifted in extremely critical condition BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
An Alcorn County man is dead of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot and his 11-yearold son is in critical condition. At 11:46 p.m. on Tuesday, an E-911 call regarding a disturbing Facebook post was directed to the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department, according to Investigator Tommy Hopkins.
Deputies Scott Dalton and Keith Little were dispatched to a unit in Farmington School Apartments on Farmington Road. Inside the apartment, the deputies found two gunshot victims in the bedroom. The apartment’s occupant, 51-year-old Billy Loyd Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene. Loyd had apparently shot his son before turning the gun on
himself. His son was taken from the apartment via ambulance and later airlifted to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis. Authorities said Wednesday afternoon he was in extremely critical condition. A LeBonheur spokesperson said at 5 p.m. Wednesday she could not release any update on the child's condition.
Loyd’s body will be sent to the state medical examiner’s office in Jackson today. Hopkins said the sheriff’s office investigation into the shooting is ongoing. “It’s such a tragic thing, just a terrible thing,” Hopkins said. “We’re still looking into it, trying to find a rhyme or a reason.” In the note posted to Face-
book, Loyd described his financial troubles, writing that he would soon be evicted from his apartment and he believed his son would be taken from him. In closing he gave instructions for his and his son’s funeral services and advised anyone reading the note to contact the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department.
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
An 18-wheeler loaded with a piece of logging equipment was involved in a three-vehicle wreck that killed one person and destroyed a home near Selmer, Tenn.
One dead, house destroyed Woman lucky to be alive Overnight stay with friend in three-vehicle collision likely saved resident's life BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
A head-on collision early Wednesday morning left one dead and another homeless. Tanner Anderson, of Selmer, Tenn., was killed when his Geo Tracker sideswiped a logging truck then crossed over into the southbound lane and into the path of another 18-wheeler carrying logging equipment. Anderson, who was traveling north, hit the
second 18-wheeler head-on at 7:40 a.m. on U.S. Highway 45 South near Pappy John's Barbecue and just outside the Selmer City Limits. The tracker burst into flames while the truck — loaded with a logging skidder — continued on, running into a home rented by Lisa Miller, according to Lt. Brad Wilbanks with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. “Luckily, no one was home at the time,” said Wilbanks at
the scene. According to witnesses at the scene, Anderson was driving erratically before sideswiping the logging truck. Neither of the two truck drivers were injured in the threevehicle accident that blocked both southbound lanes and the turning lane on Highway 45. Authorities, who spent most of the day at the scene reconstructing the accident, continue to investigate the crash.
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
An overnight stay at a friend's house saved Lisa Miller's life. The home rented by Miller was demolished when an 18-wheeler drove through it following a head-one collision with another vehicle. “I got a call this morning saying my home was destroyed,” said Miller, who is a manager of the Shiloh BP in Corinth. “It looks like a bomb hit my house.”
The 18-wheeler left the road after colliding with a Geo Tracker driven by Tanner Anderson. Anderson was killed in the accident while the 18-wheeler he struck head-on left the road and hit the house, knocking it off its foundation and scattering debris much like a tornado. The renter of the 3497 Highway 45 South house said she is normally home when the acPlease see WRECK | 2
Magnolia State Archaelogical Society Traffic stop leads to man’s arrest for meth possession event coming to Crossroads Arena BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The Magnolia State Archaeological Society knows the history. The club is ready to share it with those in the area when it comes to the Crossroads Arena on October 20. A wide variety of prehistoric artifacts will be displayed during a Native American Artifact Show set for 8 a.m. through 3:30 p.m. at the arena. “The Civil War Show was a great event, but this one is even bigger” said Cindy Davis with the Crossroads Arena. According to Davis, the Civil War event had 60 booths while the artifacts show has 71 slated for the one-day event.
MSAS has already locked down the convention center and concourse area of the facility. The public will get to see a vast collection of Native American artifacts collected from the state as well as Tennessee and Alabama during the free event. “The Magnolia State Archaeological Society is dedicated to the study, preservation and collecting of Native American Indian artifacts,” said MSAS President Bill Breidinger. “Thousands of artifacts from around seven states will be displayed at the Corinth show … everyone is invited to come and see how prehistoric man lived thousands of years ago
and the tools that he used to survive.” Some of the notable artifacts that will be showcased are arrowheads and pottery. While the arrowheads were used as weapons, pottery was more than something to eat from over thousands of years ago. “The main advantage of the pottery was to protect food from animals and insects along with storing food for the lean times of winter,” said Breidinger. Breidinger said dealers are welcome to rent tables, but no fakes or illegal goods will be allowed. For more information contact Breidinger at 601-6353222.
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
A Corinth man is facing a felony drug charge following a traffic stop. On Saturday, Oct. 6, The Alcorn County Narcotics Unit arrested Russell Haynie, of County Road 324, Corinth, for the possession of methamphetamine. The arrest resulted from a traffic stop by deputies Caleb Marolt, Mackie Sexton and Mike Billingsley. According to a statement from Narcotics Unit Investigator Jason Willis, the deputies made contact with Haynie, who was out on bond from a previous charge he received in August. Haynie gave permission to
search his vehicle, and the deputies found a quantity of methamphetamine under the hood in the breather compartment. Haynie was arrested and transported to the Alcorn County Criminal Justice Center. The Narcotics Unit executed a subsequent search warrant at Haynie’s residence. Investigators seized several tools, a shotgun, a 1994 Ford Ranger and a 1999 Chevrolet rollback tow truck. “This case is the result of an ongoing investigation of complaints from the public and surveillance by the Narcotics Unit and deputies,” said Willis. Haynie remains in custody at the Justice Center. No bond has been set.
Louisiana man charged with sexual battery in Tishomingo County BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
IUKA — A Louisiana man has been arrested for sexual battery of a child in Tishomingo County. Trey Verrett has been charged with the crime against an 11-year-old Burnsville girl following an investigation by the Tishomingo County Sheriff's Department. According to Sheriff Glenn Whitlock, Verrett was arrested after the girl's mother reported it to the sheriff's department.
“We are investigating the reports and have also contacted the Secret Service to assist in the investigation.” Glenn Whitlock Tishomingo County Sheriff Whitlock also said there are several reports of counterfeit currency being passed in local businesses in the county. “We are investigating the reports and have also contacted the Secret Service to assist in the
investigation,” said the sheriff. Other recent arrests made in the county were: ■ Zachary Williams, 22, currently in custody at the Alcorn County Jail, Grand Larceny and six counts of Burglary.
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports........8
■ Terra Harris, 32, of Dexter, Missouri, Forgery. ■ Brandon Pendergrass, 22, of Iuka, three counts of Sale of Marijuana. Pendergrass is currently in custody due to being on probation with the Mississippi Department of Corrections. ■ Joshua McKinnon, 22, of Iuka, two counts of Sale of Marijuana. McKinnon is currently in custody at the Tishomingo County Jail with a hold placed on him by Alcorn County. ■ Edward Smith, 63, of Iuka, two counts of Insurance Fraud.
■ Beck Doles, 39, of Burnsville, three counts of Sale of a Controlled Substance. ■ Irwin “Buddy” Walker, 49, of Iuka, three counts of Sale of a Controlled Substance. ■ Samuel Guinn, 20, of Iuka, two counts of Sale of a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell. ■ Sasha Erica Hanson, 29, of Iuka, three counts of Sale of a Controlled Substance and two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance.
On this day in history 150 years ago President Jefferson Davis modifies the draft law to exempt all men owning 20 or more slaves. The proclamation is not taken well by the men in the field, prompting the claim that the struggle has become “a rich man’s war and a poor man’s fight.”