Croft Road man charged in murder

A female hit by a pickup driven by a Barton man has resulted in murder charges against the driver, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

He said E-911 got a call around noon Friday, June 16, from a person who said a woman walking down Croft Road had been stuck by a pickup truck.

When officers arrived at the scene, the victim was lying in the road where she had been struck intentionally by the driver of the pickup truck, the sheriff said.

Investigators have reason to believe the victim, Shelly Jo Hughes, 43, of the Oakland, Tenn. Area, and the suspect knew each other.

Hughes was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where she later died at the Regional One Medical Center in Memphis, Tenn., from her injuries, the sheriff said.

Following the incident, the suspect fled in his pickup truck to a nearby house, where he barricaded himself inside. Dickerson said. It is believed at this time the suspect lived in the house.

A two to three-hour standoff ensued while officers tried to talk the suspect into coming out of the house but to no avail.

The DeSoto County SWAT team made the scene with Marshall County deputies, and tear gas canisters were shot through glass windows, essentially flushing the suspect out. He was arrested without incident when he opened the door.

Investigators learned that the suspect, as he drove away from the scene, fired one shot with a high powered rifle at a man standing outside his house, but missed, Dickerson said.

The suspect was taken without incident to the Marshall County Jail, where a short time later, the subject became ill and was transported to Methodist Hospital Olive Branch, where he remained on a ventilator in critical condition as of press time Tuesday.

Dickerson said investigators believe the suspect had overdosed on Crystal Methamphetamine, which he is thought to have injected himself with.

The pickup truck Kennedy was driving was towed to the Marshall County jail, where it was impounded to collect forensic evidence.

David Kennedy, 43, is charged with murder in the death of Hughes.

Dickerson thanked his officers and members of the DeSoto County SWAT team for assistance in apprehending and subsequent arrest of the suspect.