Law Enforcement Report

Authorities Seek Tips In Home Invasion

By David Howell
Editor

WATER VALLEY – Law enforcement are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men who robbed a homeowner at gunpoint Sunday night. Sheriff Lance Humphreys said the residence targeted is located just off Hwy. 7, south of Water Valley.

    “We had two males enter the home wearing ski masks,” the sheriff told the Herald. One of the men was brandishing a pistol, the sheriff also reported.

    Only one item was taken, a safe that was located in a bedroom in the home.

    “This was not a random act of violence,” Humphreys said. “They knew exactly what they were looking for and where it was located.”

    The female owner of the home was the sole occupant at the time of the home invasion. She was not injured.

    The two men are described as black males, one is described as 5’5” to 5’8” tall and the second is described as 5’11” to 6’2” tall. A dark colored “box Chevy” is also believed to be connected to the case, according to the sheriff.

    Anyone who could have information about this crime is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. The TIPS hotline number is  473-4935 or 1-(866) 933-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers can also be contacted by email at TIPS@YalobushaCounty.net, or  writing to P.O. Box 166, Water Valley, Miss., 38965. 

    Crime Stoppers only wants your information, not your name, Humphreys reminded potential callers. A cash reward of up to $1,000 is offered is your information leads to the arrest and conviction for any crime in the county.

    Humphreys said his department is also seeking information pertaining to a weekend burglary in which more than $40,000  merchandise was stolen from a Coffeeville business. The burglary was reported on May 4.

    The Other Place, located on Front Street in Coffeeville, was struck during the night hours in the weekend prior to May 4, according to Humphreys.

    “These thieves got away with a lot of merchandise, the owner has placed a retail value of more than $47,000 on the stolen goods,” Humphreys said. Items taken in the burglary included a large variety of tools including saws, weedeaters, leaf blowers, air tools, sanders, batteries and collector knives.

    “They even cleaned out a whole rack of hammers,” Humphreys said. “We have been asked to assist the Coffeeville Police Department with this investigation,” the sheriff added.

     “What we need know is input from the public,” Humphreys said. “Anyone who may have noticed any suspicious activity during the weekend of May 1 – 3 is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.

    Humphreys also urged Yalobushians to be on the look out for someone trying to sell items that were taken in the burglary.

    “The stolen items included a large variety of new merchandise, if someone approaches you without something that could be linked to this crime, let us know,” Humphreys said.

    In other sheriff’s department news:

    • Deputies recovered a stolen vehicle on the north bank of Enid Lake near Plum Point. The vehicle had been taken from Panola County and was initially discovered the U.S. Corp.

    • Deputies made  a felony D.U.I. arrest on May 8. Allen Boyd Willis was charged with felony D.U.I., possession of paraphernalia, driving with a suspended driver’s license, no tag and no proof of insurance.

    • Deputies responded to a disturbance on County Road 558 on May 8.

    • Deputies answered a call of an accidental shooting on County Road 55 on May 5. The victim shot himself in the foot while cleaning his firearm, according to Humphreys.
 

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One Person Is Charged With Thefts At Multi-purpose Building

By David Howell
Editor

COFFEEVILLE – A man who had been on the run from law enforcement for several weeks before his April 22 capture has now been linked to two separate break-ins that occurred at the Multi-purpose Building in Coffeeville.

     Winfred Earl Logan is charged with two counts of burglary and two counts of grand larceny after he allegedly broke into the county-owned building on Sunday, March 15 and Tuesday, March 17, according to Coffeeville Police Chief Mark Martin.

    Taken from the facility were five computers, two computer monitors, two cameras and a little bit of cash.

    The break in the case for Coffeeville police came when they got a tip on the whereabouts of one of the missing cameras.

    “We recovered the camera and were able to retrieve pictures from the memory stick that incriminated Logan,” Martin said. “The pictures were of a family member of Logan, that was our break in the case.”

    Meanwhile Logan already had a misdemeanor warrant from Coffeeville, and had successfully eluded both deputies and police officers for several weeks.

    “We have been working with the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Department on this case,” Martin said

    Logan was captured after Sheriff Lance Humphreys asked the North Mississippi Herald and the Coffeeville Courier to publicize that he was wanted for questioning.

    A tip to crime stoppers led authorities to his whereabouts on April 22, the same day the newspapers hit the streets, and Logan was captured. He was charged by Sheriff Lance Humphreys after he gave a statement to Chief Deputy Jerry Ferguson about the break-ins.

    Logan, who was out on bond from another crime at the time of his capture, remains in custody at the Yalobusha County Jail.

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Police Lieutenant Is Back On Duty

By Jack Gurner
Reporter

WATER VALLEY – Lt. Rick McCuan is “10-8” which means in police ten-code he is back “in service” at the WVPD after a brief illness.

McCuan, who acts as public information officer for the department, provides news to the Herald and other outlets. “We’re glad to have Rick back on duty,” Police Chief Mike King said Monday.

McCuan reported the following law enforcement activity within the Water Valley City limits during the past two weeks:

• Made five arrests for public drunk;

• Made three arrests for simple domestic assault;

• Made two arrests for driving under suspension;

• Made an arrest for shoplifting, first offense;

• Made an arrests for no drivers license;

• Took three reports of petty larceny;

• Took a report of simple domestic assault;

• Took a report of simple assault;

• Took a report of trespassing;

• Issued 28 citations for various traffic offenses;

• Issued two citations for violation of the city noise ordinance, loud music.

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COFFEEVILLE – A shooting in a Tillatoba murder dating back to 2003 is set for trial in Coffeeville on May 18.

    Dorothy Ann Martin was indicted by a grand jury in the First Judicial District in March, 2004, for the shooting death of Ronald Martin. The incident occurred at a store in Tillatoba.

    The trial is expected to last two to three days, Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney told the Herald.

    “I have 250 people subpoenaed as jurors, but we are also going to pick a new grand jury from the pool,” Circuit Clerk Daryl Burney said about the case.

    Larry Maxey has been appointed as Dorothy Martin’s defense attorney.