Monday, December 7, 2009

Alcorn Narcotics finds working meth lab in county

Officers with the Alcorn County Narcotics Unit recently found a working methamphetamine lab in Alcorn County while making a stop at a residence due to a warrant in another county.
According to a report made by Narcotics Investigator Darrell Hopkins, of the Alcorn County Narcotics Unit, officers with the Alcorn County Narcotics Unit were making a stop at 136 County Road 714, because of information they had received that the resident of the trailer, identified as David Ladrone Willis, 48, had a warrant for failing to appear in Tishomingo County.
The report said that when officers approached the residence, Willis began to walk out and meet the officers, but then turned and fled back into the home and the officers followed. Inside the residence, Willis reportedly grabbed a two liter bottle and ran to the back of the trailer and opened the door and threw the bottle out—almost hitting officers at the back of the residence.
Willis was detained, said Hopkins, along with two other subject in the home who have been identified as Patti Jean Kirby, 51, of Apartment 8 - Bryant Street, Adamsville, Tenn.; and James Earl Derrick, of 55 County Road 755, Walnut. All the subjects were taken out of the residence. Officers reportedly cleared the home for safety, after they found a working methamphetamine lab in the living room and kitchen. Hopkins said the house was full of smoke and safety for everyone was the main priority. After clearing the home, officers reportedly called the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and opened all the trailer’s doors.
After Willis signed a consent to search, more items were found in the house that are used to smoke meth and marijuana. Alcorn County Deputies Health Thomas and Tony Davis came to the scene and assisted and helped transport the three subjects to jail. Corinth Police Officer Spence Spencer also assisted in the search.
“We would like to thank Chief David Lancaster and his department for the tremendous help which they give to the Alcorn Narcotics Unit because there are many times with our deputies are tied up on calls and the Corinth Police has always responded when we needed them,” said Hopkins.
Willis, Kirby and Derrick were all charged with felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of two or more precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance. Their bond was set by Justice Court Judge Steve Little as $15,000 each.
In another, unrelated meth bust, Alcorn County Narcotics officers–with the help of the Prentiss County Narcotics Unit— arrested Jackie Dale Arnold, 51, and Matthew Glen Arnold, 25, both of 1 County Road 1123, Booneville, and charged them both with conspiracy to manufacture a controlled substance, according to a report from Narcotics Investigator Darrell Hopkins of the Alcorn County Narcotics Unit. Events leading to the arrests began Thursday with the Alcorn County Narcotics Unit stopped a black Jeep traveling North on U.S. Highway 45. The vehicle reportedly had a tag that had been previously given to the unit as a vehicle buying items to manufacture methamphetamine.
The Jeep was driven by Jackie Arnold, with Matthew Arnold being a passenger, the report said. Arnold was stopped for speeding, Hopkins said, and officers explained the reason for the stop and officers also explained that they had received information that Jackie and Matthew Arnold were buying items to make meth. Officers asked for, and received, permission to search the Jeep. The report said there were several items found that linked both the passenger and the driver with purchasing items for meth manufacture as well as items actually used in the making of meth.
Officers contacted Prentiss County Narcotics officers and discovered that Jackie Arnold had been charged within the last week with possession of two or more precursors with intent to manufacture a controlled substance in Prentiss County. Both were taken to the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department and charged. Justice Court Judge Steve Little set both for each man at $10,000.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Two charged with disposing of corpse

Two suspects have been charged with disposing of a corpse as authorities shift their focus north of the state line in the case of a Ramer, Tenn. woman whose body was found floating in the Tuscumbia River. Aaron Hastings of Corinth and Amanda Ervin Wilbanks of Ramer were charged by Alcorn County authorities with the disposal of the body of 50-year-old Donna Hill of Ramer, Tenn.
Hill's body was discovered by a deer hunter floating in the Tuscumbia River approximately three miles north of the Tuscumbia Wildlife Management Area boat ramp off of County Road 750 on Sunday, Oct. 25. Alcorn County Sheriff's Department Investigator Jerry Rogers said he expects the disposal of a corpse charge to be the only charges faced by the pair in Alcorn County in relation to the case. He said evidence points to Hill having been killed elsewhere before being dumped in the river in Alcorn County.
"There's nothing to lead us to believe that the murder took place in Alcorn County," said Rogers.
He said the remainder of the probe into Hill's death is being handled by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. TBI Agent in Charge in Jackson, Tenn. John Mehr was out of his office Monday afternoon and could not be reached for comment.
Hastings was arrested by Corinth police shortly after the discovery of Hill's body on an unrelated burglary charge and is being held in the Corinth City Jail.
Wilbanks was arrested by the McNairy County Sheriff's Department and charged with theft over $10,000. She is accused of being in possession of Hill's rental car which was reported as missing after her body was discovered. Anyone with information on the case is asked to call the Alcorn County Sheriff's Department at 662-286-5521, the McNairy County Sheriff's Department at 731-645-1000 or the TBI at 1-800-TBI FIND.