Manhunt

An intensive manhunt for a suspect who had violated parole was underway Monday morning at 11 a.m. just inside Benton County on Highway 4 East near the Marshall/Benton County line, according to sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

He said an officer with the Mississippi Department of Corrections was transporting a subject, inmate Kirtis Dylan Elkins, from the Benton County jail to Marshall County for housing on a probation violation warrant.

Elkins requested to make a restroom stop and the MDOC officer stopped the car and let Elkins out near a heavily wooded area, Dickerson said.

During the restroom break, inmate Elkins, who was in handcuffs, ran away from the MDOC officer into the woods. Agents with four counties - Tunica, DeSoto, Benton and Marshall - and tracking dogs from DeSoto County fanned out to assist the MDOC officer in the search, which extended into the afternoon Monday.

Dickerson said Elkins is from the Byhalia area of Marshall County.