Six face charges in rash of break-ins

A lengthy investigation into the repeated burglary of a vacant commercial building has culminated in six arrests by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department.

The six are from the Memphis, Tenn., area – three charged with trespassing and three with burglary of a commercial building, according to Sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

The cost to repair the former Mulay Plastics building in Holly Springs is estimated at over half a million dollars, he said. Burglars stripped 11,000 pounds of copper with an estimated scrap metal value of $28,000 from industrial switch boxes and supply lines, Dickerson said.

He said his deputies staked the place out after the building was repeatedly broken into and burglarized.

The investigation of the theft of a 16-foot trailer that was stored inside the building began April 8, 2006, according to investigator Kelly McMillen.

“We apprehended a co-defendant from Memphis on April 16, 2006,” McMillen said. “During an interview with him, we were able to locate the trailer stolen from the Mulay Plastics building at a residence in Millington, Tenn. The investigation evolved from there.”

Dickerson said the building was staked out by a deputy May 15, 2007, when a vehicle pulled into the parking lot and went behind a shed.

When McMillen blocked the exit with his vehicle and called for help the suspects fled on foot into the woods. An aerial and ground search followed for several hours.

The agencies assisting in the night hunt for the fleeing suspects included the Holly Springs Fire Department that provided lighting equipment and surveillance; the DeSoto County sheriff’s office helicopter and a Memphis Police Helicopter; the K-9 unit from Byhalia Police Department; Holly Springs police officers and sheriff’s deputies.

McMillen said three suspects were apprehended at 12:05 a.m. and two others were taken into custody in the early morning before daylight. The sixth suspect is a co-defendant, he said.

Officers with the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service helped in the year-long investigation of break-ins at the Mulay building.

Lee Franklin, 38, of 5323 Clinch Port, Memphis, Tenn., was charged with several counts burglary of a commercial building and is being held in Memphis awaiting extradition to Marshall County.
Antonio Fontez Watson, 36, of 1630 Kendale, Memphis, Tenn., was charged with several counts of burglary of a commercial building and remained in custody Tuesday with bond set at $150,000.
Tammy Delois Hunt Hughes, 35, of 3660 University Street, Memphis, Tenn., was charged with two counts burglary of a commercial building and released on $10,000 bond.
Lavorrie Murrel Richmond, 36, of 1003 Hester Road, Memphis, Tenn., was charged with trespassing and bonded out.
Jason Lamont Gaston, 28, of 1393 South Willette, Memphis, Tenn., was charged with trespassing and released on bond.
James Alexander Jr., 31, of 1545 Ethlyn, Memphis, Tenn., was charged with trespassing and released on bond.

Preliminary hearings for Angie Jones, 24, and Anthony Green, 25, of the Byhalia area were held Monday in Marshall County Justice Court and the case on charges of two counts capital murder was bound over to the circuit court grand jury in June, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

The two are charged in connection with an April 14, 2007, stabbing incident at 1264 Wood Road south of Byhalia, which left Tolbert Sholar Jr., 61, dead on the ground of multiple stab wounds and homeowner Reamus Williams in on the ground in critical condition with multiple stab wounds and severe burns. Williams later died in the hospital and aggravated assault charges in his death were upgraded to capital murder. Jones and Green are also charged with capital murder in the death of Sholar.

Dickerson said the case will be presented to the grand jury for consideration of indictments.

The two are being held without bond in the Marshall County jail due to the nature of the charges, he said.

Williams’ house burned during the incident which alerted neighbors who called the fire department when smoke was seen coming from the house. When firefighters and ambulance medics arrived they found Sholar in the east yard near the porch and Williams in tall grass in the west lawn, still alive but in critical condition. The fire destroyed the home.

Jones and Green were arrested the next day, April 15, in Memphis following an intense investigation by law enforcement teams in Marshall and DeSoto counties and by Memphis Police Investigators.

A rash of late night vandalism of rural mailboxes in the county has triggered an investigation into vandalism of mail boxes county wide, Dickerson said. He said leads are needed to develop suspects in the vandalism.

“People out during that time and happen to spot a suspicious vehicle are asked to provide a description of the vehicle and license plate numbers to the sheriff’s department,” Dickerson said.

He said vandalism of rural mail boxes are being vandalized all over North Mississippi.

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