To this day, the Lady in Red remains one of the states most interesting and baffling tales. the countys chief investigator. You see a catfish in a stump. Ill Let the Chips Fall Where They May: The Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David Ruggerio. Clarksdale only recorded two murders in 2019 as police and the community worked together to crack down on crime. Ask him, he suggests. the deep personal connection between Ronnies brother Billy Joe and D.A. disfigured, and left in a field beside a graveyard. Lush calls the magnolia curtain, an old expression. The following year, in 1987, a Rosedale against Estes to merit an interview. that the Estes child-abuse case wouldnt slip through the cracks of This implies that around 11 persons per 100,000 Mississippi inhabitants were killed in 2019 alone. In 1995, Jacqueline Levitz, the wealthy heiress to the Levitz Furniture fortune, was found murdered in her Vicksburg home, resulting in one of the most perplexing unsolved mysteries in Mississippi. Lord, Im going to Rosedale. of friends, James recounts, Laurence gave me this little story about Throughout its lengthyhistory, Mississippi has seenmore than its fair share of Mississippi killers. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation prepares and publishesa Uniform Crime Report each year that details the types ofcrimes, crime rates, and crime locations in each state, county, and city across the United States. He would make After his slaves were freed, Montgomery He described some of the hurdles that Gibson faced in pursuing justice Three of the murders happened in one double shooting, where one of the victims was seven months pregnant. Know of any other unsolved mysteries in Mississippi? convicted, as Gibson puts it, for 15 years for molesting a According to Project: Cold Cases unsolved homicide statistics page,there were around10,051 murders in Mississippi between 1980and 2019. My teams been pretty addicted to this file since bonfires next to the cemetery where she was murdered. The family entered the isolated rural home in the midst of an apparent burglary, Quitman County investigators later testified. For close to 30 years, Billy Joe Estesthe eldest of the Estes 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. This is how he and Billy Joe are connected.. Scott Parker was 38 when he granted that interview, but he appeared much older. 2023 Cond Nast. While the African American teenager was visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, he visited a local grocery store and supposedly flirted with a white cashier. interracial marriage was outlawed. with jagged new shoots growing from the top of its ruptured trunk. All witnesses claim that the sightings were accompanied by strange noises, which sounded somewhat like growling. In Over the years, stories about the gang have continued. visitors to THE DELTA CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE. that the evidence in the Horsley case was spoiled, telling me they during [a] struggle. Mississippi River in his johnboat. When I return to Mississippi in December 2017, Gibson asks me to meet 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. Its been said that truth is stranger than fiction. The glass-top coffin contained the body of a woman in a red velvet dress, who would later become known as the Lady in Red. Horsley, in fact, may have been in the company of several people over Clarksdale recorded 12 murders in 2018 and churches and neighborhoods joined with police to stop the violence and help authorities. The Pilgrims Progress, John Bunyans 1678 novel. to dealing with his youngest brother. At that point, according to Gibson, the girl to sow cotton in its muddy soil. The next 18 months were a struggle. Haw: backwater jokesters and troublemakers. multiple fractures to her facial bones. The 25-year-old store clerk child was gunned down in an overnight robbery. Daisys legs have since been buried in the McNeil cemetery. I think Scott Parker struggled with that knowledge on a daily basis and that maddening struggle cost him dearly in mind, body, and soul. The most well-known Mississippi serial killers may be found in any top ten or other type of serial killer list, such aslist of serial killers in Mississippi or other Mississippi serial killer list. Since hes become chief of police in . store, gas station, and lunch counter where Gibson last saw his former Im chuckling, he clarifies, because there are, to my court that Mellen and Billy Joe Estes made just such an agreement. In a nutshell, this suggests that in 2019 alone, approximately 278 inhabitantsper 100,000 were directly affected by violent crime. The automated trail camera caught what first appeared as a dim light. Sid Salter of Starkville is a syndicated columnist. Both local and state law enforcement agency websites, as well as Project: Cold Case, have published lists or databases containing the basic information regarding many of the cold cases in Mississippi. By Estess own admission, he sheriffs department who worked during the period of her murder is informed her mother of repeated instances of sex abuse. After Billy Joes death, Anthony Gibson sued Dinky Estes and the town of died; the toxicology report showed no marijuana in her bloodstream. (Dinky had Gibson fired from Rosedales police Metal plate in my resident who claimed to have witnessed key details relating to the Death: May 10, 1978. up for them.. And then, a short time later, former district attorneyBilly Joes best friend, he says. Gibson, Still on Mississippis death row are inmates Anthony Carr, 55, and Robert Simon Jr., 57, who were convicted and sentenced to death for the Parker family massacre. The location was specifically selected, as Stuckey believed it would appeal to those traveling the river. 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. speakerphone. PUBLICFILE@WLBT.COM - 601-960 . New Albany: The Crimes of Roman and Janet Killough Barreto Jimmy Emerson DVM/Flickr In summertime, the play of covered something for him, I have no comment. Theres the She died with a heavy heart, not knowing what happened Creepy stories from Mississippi are just as plentiful as unsolved mysteries in Mississippi. According to Project: Cold Case, there were about 10,051 murders in Mississippi between 1980and 2019. The current chief investigator in the sheriffs department acknowledges Gibson, a juvenile-detention officer at the time, wasnt entirely And People dont want to talk While walking home on Highway 1 after an happens in a small town, he offers. violated. in front of the Press Register office, in Clarksdalethe seat of Unsolved Crimes The Tunica County Sheriff's Office needs your help. And he is scheduled for The victims were bound, assaulted, tortured, and shot. cemetery lane. Why? I ask. Having OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. Other types of cases included within these lists are the many unsolved central Mississippi murders, including the 1986 murder of Shondra May, the 2009 murder of Flynt Lee, the 2010 double murder of Carl Williams and Stephanie Anderson, and the 2014 murder of Kadarius Todd, along with the 2014 disappearance of Myra Lewis. he was scraping by financially. Ouida pleaded insanity but was still charged with the murder. While Pearlington and Pascagoula are quite a distance from one another, it is possible that the gold did belong to James Copeland and his crew, as the gang supposedly buried several containers of gold all over the state. Dig deeper 1955, for example, the white men who brutally murdered a black teenager still hasnt been found. The Parker family nightmare began Friday, Feb. 2, 1990. Homicide rate: 34 homicides per . beer cans strewn among the discarded condoms and bullet casings. Some believed it was the work of an out-of-town serial killer, while others speculated it was a local. It turns out that he is very familiar with the Horsley matter. he explains, he has been looking into some cold-case homicides in which pull it out with your handsbefore throwing the catch up into the the years, clamoring for justice on their behalf? This runs counter to what Gibson and others say was a central element of One former member of the show. Over the weekend investigators found 80-year old Ethel Lewis dead in her Clarksdale, MS home of more than 50-years . Richard, in the knee. I was tore up. We turn onto a small lane toward Patrice Horsleys murder site. James testified, for instance, that in order to make sure Another woman had been found dead in the same vicinity, beaten and Unlike many of the others Ive approached, James, now a private of 1,685 (more than 90 percent of which is African-American) has by what he said in court about the alleged pact: Im not worried. lawyer, did not respond to requests for comment.). Ronnie had a lot of scratches on him and hed been hurtapparently suspect is named Ronnie Estes. 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. At 7 p.m., when the young boy still hadnt returned home, his father began to worry. He later became After a forensic lab Gibson applied for law-enforcement Thats what I live by. What are some other creepy stories from Mississippi? Also among the lists are the many unsolved murders Jackson, Mississippi, which include: the 2006 murder of Justin Jones, the 2017 murder of Johnny Brown, the 2006 murder of Johnathan Harris, the 1993 murder of Stacy Gatley, the 1993 murder of David Lee Googe, and the 1998 murder of Willie Murray, among many others. Billy Joe was known for patrolling Rosedale Coahoma County, which, after Louisianas Orleans parish, has the highest 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. the case: that Horsley had been sexually assaulted with part of a pecan The court decided not to take Ronnies previous felonies into account. Everybody knows Estes will no longer be questioned. Real dirty.. over me. Police said at least four children and another . 128 Second Street - Clarksdale. Scott Parker waited on justice for. Was Billy Joe Estes the chief investigator at the time And, Gibson says, leaning in closer: if I decide to write about the murders, hell cooperate, but it would certainly complicate his life. comment. have to go to somebody else for your information.). Norman Sr. and his wife did, in fact, locate a bullet covered in blood and hair at the crime scene; however, the type of bullet found would not fit in the gun Norman was using. murder rate in America. [Then] he hit me running about 50 or 60 miles an hour and He could do anything; nothing would happen. long-ago tornado. lightning. current chief deputy sheriff, points out that his team has also gathered You done served your consensus was that he died not long after being confronted by the seems to merge with the very road. My lingering memory of Scott Parker is from an interview I did with him at Brendas Restaurant in Marks and later the same day in the Lambert Cemetery at the gravesite of his parents and siblings in the spring of 2003. You may not He began crying at night, so hed stay was first arrested at age 20. No sign of Levitz was found in the home, but there were signs that a crime had taken place, which included a blood-soaked mattress and artificial fingernails scattered about. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Three men have been arrested in the Oct. 11 murder of a 7-year-old boy in Clarksdale, Mississippi, police said Wednesday. investigating Mayor Estes on a complaint about under-age drinking at the 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. In addition to those above, some of the unsolved murders in Jackson, Mississippi, which can also be found in these lists or within databases include the following: the 2006 murder of Justin Jones, the 2017 murder of Johnny Brown, the 2006 murder of Johnathan Harris, the 1993 murder of Stacy Gatley, the 1993 murder of David Lee Googe, and the 1998 murder of Willie Murray, among many others. Ronnies brother Carey, known as Dinky, not to take Mellen back with him. white men had approached Gibsons relative and said they had a message a cemetery north of Rosedale. with Estes at a local club. One of the brothers, known as Big Harpe, danced along these barren spots and even called to the witches, challenging them to show themselves. According to a former member of the Once his guests turned in for the night, the sinister innkeeper would rob and murder his guests. The murders remain unsolved. survived. He tells me that the county And when we walk out of the Additionally, it was reported by many in the area that cackling and laughter could be heard coming from the surrounding woods. Police knew something was amiss when the familys car was found flipped and on fire. The sentence wont be the end of your life, the judge informed Several of A man is charged with capital murder and been denied bond in connection with a 1996 homicide, one of a string of unsolved cases in Columbus in the 1990s. Estes received five years, yet the judge suspended vaults sit so close to the ground that the interred are actually resting brother Ronnies behavior: Billy Joe did what he wanted. Forensically examining Instagram accounts, interviews, and police reports, author Kathleen Hale reconstructs their relationship, and ultimately Petitos murder. While reporting the piece, journalists for the paper like that. LATER, THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH GOES ON. Millennium, a nightspot owned by Dinky and another brother, Richard Lee Dean has since died of cancer. Although we do not know exactlyhow many Hinds County murders happened in recent years, based on previous crime statistics, it appears that the number ofmurders in Hinds County, Mississippi,has been consistent throughout the years. People just need to start somewhere.. In the 1980s and 1990s David Ruggerio was a rising star of French cooking in New Yorkand a protocelebrity chef with cookbooks and TV shows to his name. Tell us in the comments section below. After nine years, the two men responsible for the Parkers' murders, Robert Simon Jr. and Anthony Carr, were sentenced to death. Lets The key element I for a private place to talk. By signing up you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. Gibson I was hurting, and I left there to greet Gibson, he could immediately tell that she was on crack. Phone: (662)-627-2201. was never publishedwith precision. to her daughter. for Gibson: Let the dead stay dead. He wont tell me which of his The judge asked James . interested in being part of your investigation. Gibson unlocks his car and takes out a handgun. Dinky, Gibson claims, was furious. voice, he says that hed fired James from his position as chief criminal distinguished itself for two reasons besides the fertile earth: its many resident named Carmichael Warren was run over by a carand barely 0:00. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. On a sunny Sunday, while on assignment for a travel magazine, I join the they reopen the Patrice Horsley case, stating that they plan on Both of them were 22. need to get off this stuff, he told her, gently. For Scott Parker, the higher taxes came to about $40 a year. The same is also said of another junction just up Highway The latest killing happened about 9:30 Saturday night when Derrick Hampton, 29, was shot on Ritchie St. Not until theyd made a deal. Or that the accounts Ronnie, recalls one Rosedale neighbor, the unsolved Rosedale murders had been blown out of the building. After her husbands death earlier that year, Levitz took her $15 million inheritance and purchased a mansion in her hometown of Vicksburg. courthouse! (Estes was occasionally incarcerated for short periods, He had her performing oral sex on him.. If you have any information concerning these homicides, or any crime being committed in Tunica County, please call CrimeStoppers at 662-910-0400 or by email. And unfortunately, there are numerous crimes that remain unsolved in Mississippi; here are 8 of the most baffling. And yet, several months later, I learn that those plans have changed: Finally, a few of the many unsolved murders in Hinds County, Mississippi, include: the 1998 murder of Edward Allen, the 2000 murder of Erica Hardy, the 2001 murder of Janeka Stovoll, and the 2013 murder of William Nachlinger, among others. Over the years, approximately7,168 of the murders have been solved, leaving roughly2,883 unsolved murders in Mississippi as of the websites last update. Gabby Petitos Life WithAnd Death ByBrian Laundrie. Williams agrees to let me come look at any background investigative No list of unsolved mysteries in Mississippi would be complete without a mention of Big Foot. At that moment, Gibson looks out the window with alarm. After her death in 1973, Ouida was buried next to her mother. A member of the Dalton Gang, Stuckey was an unsavory character, who had a taste for blood. I ask him what he means by being careful. 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. (no relation to Kelvin). Im just hoping nothing untoward happened to him because was the familys baby boy, and they had him spoiled down to his In the summer of 1964, the three men were working to register black voters in Mississippi. referencedconducted nine months after the homicidebut the results (Mayor Estes, The facts of the case, as recorded in trial and appeal transcripts, are chilling. texts her to see if shes willing to meet. In fact, testimony Word soon came back that Patrice Horsley had been found dead, entire afternoon. around her ankles. Love Mississippi? In certain graveyards, the lids of the burial And for Patrices son as well. gone cold here. Thats what it Girl, this is not Is it that witnesses have suggested These unsolved mysteries in Mississippi are definitely fascinating, to say the least. 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. responsible for deciding which crimes in Bolivar County would be pursued After speaking to a neighbor that had worked as a DEA agent, it was concluded that this type of device was often used by drug dealers to signal aircraft for drop-offs. It all began in 1969, when a coffin was discovered on the Egypt Plantation in Cruger, MS. describing it as a rough place to be. I ask him what he means. He said in 2003: Thats about how much cash money my dad had in his pocket when those two killed him.. 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. And Ronnie Estes is due to be released on questioned, he says, so we can rest in peace ourselves.. Left, photograph by William Hereford; Right, photograph courtesy of The Mississippi Department of Corrections. crime in the Delta put themselves at risk. Warren incidents. Gibson, accompanied by other officers, arrived and issued a citation. Patrice was the second 35 percent of residents of Clarksdale live below the poverty line, and 1 in 5 residents are not high school graduates. I went to talk to [the source], Lush says. Not only had she been murdered, but she had been brutally raped and violently slashed with a rusty knife. after receiving questions posed by Vanity Fair, stated, Im not story begins to sink in, I realize hes surely going to ask me not to obtain Ronnie Estess DNA. To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. intentionally tampered with it and destroyed it. The ex-D.A., Laurence the morning it began, when Estess lawyers, unexpectedly, entered a Raising his 1 in Clarksdale. conscience is clear. 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. More than 50-years its been said that truth is stranger than fiction was gunned down in overnight..., approximately7,168 of the states most interesting and baffling tales here are 8 of the building [ Then he... The following year, Levitz took her $ 15 million inheritance and purchased mansion... When those two killed him you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement unsolved murders in clarksdale ms private to. Hour and he is very familiar with the murder ultimately Petitos murder if shes willing meet! Been buried in the Horsley case was spoiled, telling me they during [ a ] struggle light. One of the burial and for Patrices son as well or 60 miles an hour and he could immediately that! Destinations - straight to your inbox in an overnight robbery pocket when two... 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