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Dennis Tyrell Miller
Dennis Tyrell Miller
Dennis Tyrell Miller

STABBING DEATH-SENTENCE

Life sentence hand down in stabbing death of woman

 

PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (AP) – A Philadelphia man has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for the August 2014 stabbing death of his girlfriend.

The Neshoba Democrat reports 38-year-old Dennis Tyrell Miller was sentenced Friday by Circuit Judge Marcus Gordon. Miller had been convicted of manslaughter in the stabbing death of Monique Green.

Manslaughter usually carries a maximum 20 years in prison, but Miller was sentenced as a habitual offender which resulted in the enhanced punishment.

Prosecutors say the 30-year-old Green was stabbed 11 times after the couple had argued at the home they shared.

Miller argued Green came after him with a knife, cutting him three times on the hand. He testified Green was swinging the knife “wild and crazy” during the altercation and probably stabbed herself.

 

WASHINGTON CO SLAYING

3 charged with murder in death of Louisiana man

 

GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) – Three people have been arrested in the death of a Louisiana man whose remains were found not far from a Greenville casino.

Washington County Sheriff Major Andrew Kaho tells the Delta Democrat-Times the three were arrested in the death of 29-year-old Thomas Harris McIntosh of West Carroll Parish, Louisiana.

Bond was set at $1 million each for 34-year-old Christopher Franks of Avon; and 23-year-old Parker Huddleston and 34-year-old Trudy Ponder, both of Greenville. Each is charged with first degree murder.

McIntosh was reported missing to the West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office in February 2015. Kaho says authorities later learned McIntosh was last seen at Harlow’s Casino in Greenville in December 2014.

Kaho says remains found in April in a field near the casino were identified as those of McIntosh.

 

BILOXI FIRE DEPARTMENT

Biloxi Fire Department gets $1.4M grant

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) – The Biloxi Fire Department is getting a $1.4 million federal grant to increase its number of trained personnel.

The grant was announced this week by U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss.

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant came though the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Cochran says in a news release the money can help communities reduce fire department response times and increase the number of trained personnel at incident scenes.

The Biloxi Fire Department is one of 15 fire departments across the country chosen to receive grants, totaling $38.7 million.

DRUG CONSPIRACY

2 Florida men to admit to roles in drug conspiracy

 

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) – Two Florida men will plead guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to move cocaine and marijuana from Florida to Texas by way of South Mississippi.

Attorneys for Michael Lamar Ricks and Herman McGee Jr., both of Jacksonville, informed the court of the plans to enter the pleas. Ricks is set to enter his plea Monday and McGee’s plea date is July 23.

A federal grand jury indicted the two along with Jaylyn Holland and Kerriyae Simmons, also of Jacksonville, on three counts.

The Sun Herald reports Holland and Simmons have pleaded guilty to interstate travel in aid of racketeering. In exchange for their pleas, the government dismissed the remaining charges against them. Their sentencings are pending.

GAS PRICES

Survey: US gasoline prices down 2 cents in the past 2 weeks

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) – The average price of gasoline has dropped 2 cents over the past two weeks to $2.83 a gallon.

Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg says that the decline comes amid lower crude oil prices.

The average national price for midgrade gas was $3.05, with premium going for $3.22.

The cheapest price recorded in the continental United States was $2.42 a gallon in Jackson, Mississippi.

The highest price was $3.66 a gallon in Los Angeles. Prices in California rose about 9 cents in the past 2 weeks and a continuing spike is expected this week.

Analysts say a shortage in oil and other components used in refining California’s unique blend of less-polluting gas will push prices past $4 a gallon in some areas of the state before they ease again.

BATESVILLE SCHOOL FIRE

Kindergarten classrooms destroyed in Batesville fire

BATESVILLE, Miss. (AP) – A fire has destroyed the kindergarten building at Batesville Elementary School.

Deputy Fire Chief Jackie Chapman says the fire was reported about 9:05 p.m. Friday and was extinguished after midnight. There were no injuries.

About 17 classrooms were destroyed.

Superintendent Tim Wilder says the cause of the fire has not been determined.

The South Panola School Board in a special meeting Saturday gave Wilder emergency authority to sign contracts for cleanup and repairs.

Wilder says the building might not ready for kindergarten students when school starts Aug. 6. He says space will be found elsewhere for classes.

School officials say the building is covered by insurance.

District financial director David Rubenstein says replacement of the building will cost between $3.5 million to $4 million.