The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations is currently investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Ferriday on Sunday night. IE 11 is not supported. UPDATE: Ferriday man charged with murder in Sunday afternoon fatal (KTVE/KARD) On Tuesday August 17 shortly after 2:00 a.m., troopers from Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a fatal crash on . The single-engine Air Tractor 502 crashed around 1:30 p.m. Tuesday along Louisiana 425, about five miles south of Sicily Island, according to a news release from the Northeast Louisiana. David Whatley, who was a CORE member himself while a student at Ferriday High School, confirmed in a recent interview that the Ferriday Deacons were armed. 2023 www.theadvertiser.com. Atcheson, who was familiar with the Deacons for Defense and Justice, later told FBI agent Don McGorty that Ferriday resident Victor Graham had contacted the Jonesboro Deacons and that a month later, in August 1965, the Ferriday chapter was formed. [according to whom?] Two killed in Ferriday | KTVE - myarklamiss.com Cynthia Deitle, the chief of the FBI's civil rights unit, sent the Concordia Sentinel newspaper an e-mail with this response: "I am convinced that there are individuals alive today who know who killed Mr. Morris. At the time of his death, Morris owned the land his shop was on, and he was seen as an honest man who paid his bills on time. The FBI concluded the investigation in 2016 when investigators determined there was insufficient evidence to charge any individual with any federal crimes; furthermore, important witnesses, suspects, and informants were dead. The Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office (CPSO) is leading the investigation into the shooting at 106 Gremillion Street. One unique feature of the Ferriday Deacons was that they had what Whatley called the Junior Deacons League, composed of a half dozen teenagers. They were identified as 65-year-old Mark Clark and 49-year-old Donna R. Clark, both of Ferriday. The state of Mississippi in the Jim Crow era was infamous for racially-fueled lynchings. FERRIDAY, La. Harp described Morris as an alcoholic and had two confrontations with him during 19631965, as well as a small argument outside of the courthouse. No one was ever arrested for the . "I dont know what was going through a 7-year-olds mind, but I know it was a lot, so I would imagine that was we know that's why it took so long.". Concordia Parish authorities investigating suspected murder-suicide - KNOE Part 3:In Homer, the Deacons defied Willie Rainachs segregation. The Department of Justice and the FBI say they are conducting ongoing investigations into the Morris case. Another has been arrested on a second-degree murder charge Tuesday in relation to a fatal shooting that took place Sunday afternoon in broad daylight in Ferriday. [2] According to these informants, Morace was the primary conspirator in the murder of Morris; however, the FBI could not find any physical evidence corroborating their witnesses. Duncan and a few other young, armed Deacons piled into his brothers canary yellow Pontiac to rescue Lewis, who also received help from a white bondsman from New Orleans. Once arrested himself on a false claim and held in the local jail for two weeks, Whatley said a primary function of the Ferriday Deacons was to protest the unlawful arrests of local black men. In a report from the Concordi [2] The informant, fearing for his life, did not share this information with the FBI until two years after the arson. (WLBT) - According to Gray station KNOE, authorities in Concordia Parish, Louisiana are investigating the murder of a man recently named Teacher of the Year. In February1968, the second investigation was closed when the FBI determined that there was insufficient evidence to charge any of the suspects. There were rumors of Morris being romantically involved with the wife of a white man, and after the arson, the white couple soon left town. During the 1960s, the area was a strictly segregated society. The group killed an African American man, Frank Morris, by arson in Ferriday, Louisiana, and is suspected in two car bombings of NAACP leaders in Natchez, Mississippi, George Metcalfe and Wharlest Jackson. (See pages 14-16 of this PDF.). Luckily, only the detonator exploded, not the bomb itself, sparing the family from tragedy. Preliminary autopsy results show the three members of the Ernest family were each shot one time in the head with the handgun that was recovered, Ard said. Whatley said it was important for Deacons and activists to demand change in lawful yet effectiveways during the civil rights era, and he said that still holds true for the nationwide protests against police abuses today. No one was ever arrested for the killing. Ferridays population of more than 4,500 residents was roughly half black and half white in the mid-1960s, a time when black citizens quietly celebrated civil rights wins and white supremacists desperately tried to halt legislative and social change. The men broke multiple shop windows and proceeded to "spread a flammable liquid around the outside of the shop, and evidence indicates that the subjects may have spread the flammable liquid inside of the shop". Louisiana shooting suspect Dakota Theriot captured. Theriots parents, Keith and Elizabeth Theriot, were killed at their home in Ascension Parish and Keith Theriot gave information to investigators before he died that pointed to his son as the suspect, the sheriff of that parish has said. One night in January 1966 as Whatley slept, his first cousin and fellow Deacon, Joe Davis, fell asleep during his shift to guard the Whatley home. Robert Lewis, whose home was bombed by Klansmen, drew inspiration from the sacrifices of the CORE workers. According to LSP,. "We don't really know what the motive is," Ard said. Morris, a black man who had operated a business with a devoted interracial clientele for 30 years, had become a role model for young black men, many of whom got their first jobs as children helping Morris around his shop. According to the Concordia Parish Sheriffs Office, on April 25, 2021, at around 9:30 p.m., they were called to a residence on Lake St. John about a shooting. Man shoots woman, kills himself | Crime | hannapub.com As a Junior Deacon, he and other members were vigilant and on call when the older Deacons needed them. Nelson published the story Wednesday morning outlining the the allegations against Spencer. The creation of the Deacons groups is outlined in a 606-page FBI file released through the Freedom of Information Act to the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication Cold Case Project, which investigates Klan activities. Much like the Morris case, witness accounts were not corroborating, and in August 1968, the investigation was closed. A month after Seale was indicted in January 2007, the FBI announced a new cold case initiative and published a shortlist of about 100 civil rights era cases that it planned to reprobe. The group killed an African American man, Frank Morris, by arson in Ferriday, Louisiana, and is suspected in two car bombings of NAACP leaders in Natchez, Mississippi, George Metcalfe and Wharlest Jackson. FERRIDAY, La. Morris, a black man who had . The following day Morris's shop was attacked. The suspect had been living with the Ernest family for a couple of weeks before the killings, Ard has said. Webre has said that shooting was reported at around 8:45 a.m. Investigators believe Theriot was staying with the Ernest family because he had been kicked out of his parents' home, Ard said. Six decades after a Louisiana man's disappearance and presumed murder, his family is still looking for answers and a body to bury. The first full investigation of the Frank Morris murder began in January 1965, at the request of then-Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division, Burke Marshall. FERRIDAY, La. A local black teacher claimed that after the arson, a rumor was spreading that Morris was facilitating interracial liaisons. Were still trying to piece together all of the details as to what transpired, King said. They met weekly and conducted all-night patrols. Concordia Parish authorities investigating suspected murder-suicide, West Monroe man arrested after allegedly raping adopted daughter, Monroe duo arrested for alleged sex trafficking of minor, 10-year-old shot during argument, Marion man arrested, 2 Winnfield residents arrested following death of 3 year old, One lucky winner in Arkansas is about to become $2.338M richer, La. [2] The FBI investigators believed that Morris knew his attackers, but was unwilling to divulge their identities. Klansmen took advantage of this, throwing a bomb just outside Whatleys bedroom window. The Natchez-Adams School District said he taught 8th grade at Morgantown Middle School. The Silver Dollar Group was an offshoot of the Ku Klux Klan white nationalist terrorist group, composed of cells that took up violent actions to support Klan goals. Two suspects have. "Cold Case: Morris' Granddaughter Says FBI $10,000 Reward Gives Her New Hope". Investigators say the people involved were 19 and 20-years-old. Until now, the case has gone. Frank Morris (1914-1964) was an American businessman who died as a result of arson to his shoe shop in Ferriday, Louisiana, a city with a history of racial violence. Later, he was transported to the parish courthouse jail in Vidalia. The main force that we had was marches, he said. Law officials said deputies responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 9:30 p.m. at the 3000 block of U.S. 569 on Lake Saint John. There have been allegations of witness intimidation, evidence tampering, and involvement by local law enforcement. "We just know what he did. [2] Morris entered a coma two days later, and died on December14. Justice may finally be served, thanks to the reporting of Stanley Nelson of the weekly Concordia Sentinel. (KTVE/KARD) On Wednesday September 15, officers with the Ferriday Police Department arrested 19-year-old Denzel Washington for 2nd Degree Murder. Minutes later, he, not his attackers, was arrested. We know that [Morris] was the victim of a brutal murder and we want to figure out who did it and we want to figure out why they did it," Tom Perez, assistant attorney general who runs the civil rights division of the Department of Justice, said in an interview last week. Davis furnished the bureau a list of Ferriday Deacons, and he identified former Harlem Globetrotter Johnny Lloyd, who was a four-sport coach at the local black school Sevier High, as a Deacon. In the last 5 years Ferriday has seen decreasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. McCray drove the suspects to a location around Bayou Drive in Ferriday, where the suspects pulled out a gun and shot him. When he saw one of the perpetrators fleeing the scene, he instinctively raised his gun and pulled the trigger, only to hear an empty click. Investigators say the people involved were 19 and 20-years . When Jones was interviewed on September22, he stated that "if he was arrested for this crime, officers also would have to arrest DeLaughter". No one was hurt during the arrest, Ard said. Two charged with murder after Natchez teacher killed in - KNOE For years, David Whatley has wondered how men can be so motivated by hate. The Deacons came to life solely to protect their communities and others victimized by Klansmen and police. Whatley said Klansmen also shot out the lights on his grandmothers house and drove around the home several times for days to intimidate the family. The 2020 Ferriday crime rate rose by 14% compared to 2019. In an interview with Nelson, Spencer denies those allegations. The FBI opened a full investigation into his murder due to its civil rights implications, as Jackson was treasurer of the local chapter of the NAACP. Who would you like to see as our next U.S. president? Frank Morris fathered one child, and had two grandchildren. [2] All four men were questioned and denied any involvement in the arson and murder. FERRIDAY Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office deputies investigated two shooting deaths in the area of Lake St. John Sunday night. David Whatley was among the men inspired by Morris life and angered by his murder, and he would become the youngest member of the group that took on Klansmen and bad cops when they organized the Ferriday chapter of the Deacons for Defense and Justice. Later on, Anthony Lucky McCraneys gas station was firebombed, marking the sixth act of racial violence in Ferriday within a two-month period, according to CORE documents. We expect more arrests to be made in relation to this case. Another has been arrested on a second-degree murder charge Tuesday in relation to a fatal shooting that took place Sunday afternoon in broad daylight in Ferriday. In his first year of teaching at Morgantown, Mr. McCray was named the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. All games are FREE. Soon, Lewis was back in his Ferriday home and reunited with his wife and children. Our effort here, as it is everywhere, is to try and uncover the truth. All rights reserved. Devils Walking: Klan Murders along the Mississippi in the 1960s. Frank Morris (19141964) was an American businessman who died as a result of arson to his shoe shop in Ferriday, Louisiana, a city with a history of racial violence. Every journalism student in America should be making a pilgrimage to Ferriday, Louisiana, on this date to sit at the feet of and learn from Stanley Nelson, 59-year-old Editor of the Concordia Sentinel, a small weekly newspaper (circulation about 5,000) that serves up mostly local news, wedding announcements, obituaries and sports to the residents of We were able to get a dying declaration from the dad before he expired, Webre said. These men had long been outraged by one horrid memory the 1964 arson murder of Ferriday shoe shop owner Frank Morris.No one was ever arrested for the killing. Like many Southern crimes against blacks in the 1960s -- an era of racial strife dominated by criminal activities by the Ku Klux Klan -- the incident went unsolved, despite an FBI investigation at the time. The Silver Dollar Group (SDG) was a violent and exceptionally militant Klan offshoot that operated in Adams County between 1964 and 1967. [5], Following the bombing, the FBI launched operation "WHARBOM"[5] and placed multiple informants within Klan groups surrounding Natchez. Every murder is a senseless murder and this one certainly fits those criteria. "We are actively, as we speak involved in this investigation. -- David Whatley, the first black student to integrate Ferriday High in 1966, returned from tortuous days at school only to face just as many threats outside his home. "We dont know if we will ever have a motive exactly why this happened.". For his work on the Frank Morris case, he was a finalist for the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting and a recipient this year of the University of Oregon's Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism and the Louisiana State University Manship School Courage and Justice . All games are FREE. It was kind of a barbershop-type of thing where you sit around, you talk about what has happened, who did this and who did that and what to expect next, Whatley recalled. He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. Dakota Theriot was taken into custody in Virginia after killing five people in Louisiana on Jan. 27, 2019. A 20-year-old male and 26-year-old female were killed by apparent gunshot wounds. According to investigators, on the night of the murder Frederick McCray Jr. gave a ride to the two suspects. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Friday morning. FERRIDAY Concordia Parish Sheriffs Office deputies investigated two shooting deaths in the area of Lake St. John Sunday night. A Ferriday man shot a Vidalia woman before killing himself with the same gun Tuesday afternoon in Ferriday. Despite the damage the bomb caused to his home and the threat it posed to his family, Lewis was handcuffed by Ferriday police and charged with aggravated assault, according to FBI and CORE documents. Ferriday policemen, including "DeLaughter, Bill Ogden, and Ferriday Police Chief Bob Warren", had ordered an unidentified witness to "keep his mouth shut", and later told him to "get out of town". Stanley Nelson is editor of the Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday, Louisiana. Ferriday Police investigating suspected murder-suicide, West Monroe man arrested after allegedly raping adopted daughter, Monroe duo arrested for alleged sex trafficking of minor, 10-year-old shot during argument, Marion man arrested, 2 Winnfield residents arrested following death of 3 year old, One lucky winner in Arkansas is about to become $2.338M richer, La. Frank Morris's mother, Charlotte, died shortly after his birth. No charges have been brought despite three FBI investigations. Nelson, Stanley. Theriot said he used a handgun stolen from his father, Keith Theriot, and that it was the weapon recovered after he was arrested, Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said at a news conference Tuesday. We would make it known that we were alert and we were awake, and they would flee, Whatley said. FERRIDAY, La. Autopsies for Theriots parents were scheduled for Tuesday, Webre said. Ferriday Police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide that happened Wednesday afternoon. No charges have been brought despite three FBI investigations. In 1965, Klansmen had bombed the home of Whatleys neighbor, Robert L. Buck Lewis Jr., who had raced outside with a shotgun to defend his family against the perpetrators. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Natchez pastry chef Molly Manning Robertson in bake off for last spot in Spring Baking Championship finale, VIDEO: Funeral procession for long-time sheriff Tommy Ferrell passes by Adams County Sheriffs Office, Calm, focused and ready: The role of an ER nurse, A Team Sport: Emergency medicine, first-responders share common goal of saving lives, 2023, Mississippi's Best Community Newspaper. COREs main task was to test whether the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 were being implemented, and for this their workers suffered in Ferriday. 0. No subscription required to play. Two charged with murder after Natchez Teacher of the Year killed in La. One such informant, known as Orvin C. "Coonie" Poissot, was a Klansman from Texas who had a relationship with a local sheriff's deputy named Frank Delaughter, whom Poissot implicated as a conspirator in the murder of Frank Morris. Two suspects were identified in FBI documents as members of the Silver Dollar Group, a Klan offshoot believed responsible for Morris murder and seven others in Louisiana and Mississippi over a three-year period. FERRIDAY, La. Failure to solve Ku Klux Klan-linked murder prompts anger, 47 years on According to the L.A. County . According to the sheriff's office, it happened on June 23, 2019, in the. [5] Jackson had recently been promoted to a position never before held by an African American. We will continue to update this story with more information as it develops. King said the investigation is still ongoing and more arrests are anticipated. In addition to each member owning his own weapon, the agent wrote, the unit allegedly possessed three semi-automatic carbines and two walkie-talkies used when patrolling. Whatley contacted COREs central office after the attack, sparking an FBI investigation. Morris opened Frank's Shoes Service in the late 1930s, in his hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana. According to the Concordia Sentinel, the Ferriday Police Department began investigating the deaths of two people who were killed Wednesday afternoon. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. hide caption. Harp's new information regarding Morris shed doubt on the story concerning DeLaughter. "Weve got a better picture on how this happened," the sheriff said of the five killings. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. The investigation revealed new allegations that local police officers were tampering with the investigation by threatening witnesses. So when there was a problem, there was a way of communicating to them what was going on.. FERRIDAY, La. If they can summon the moral fortitude and courage to contact the FBI and tell us what they know, they will be heroes who will change history. According to the Concordia Sentinel, the Ferriday Police Department began investigating the deaths of two people who were killed Wednesday afternoon. [2] This witness also received death threats, and his home was fired upon on multiple occasions. He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. Harp and colleagues also found a "slightly scorched" suitcase filled with fourteen and a half pints of bourbon. However, Poisott was eliminated as a potential witness due to his erratic amphetamine use and difficulties differentiating between personal knowledge and hearsay. Wed march on the jail. Violent Klansmen had long been embedded with corrupt cops, some of whom wore robes themselves. Two charged with murder after Natchez Teacher of the Year killed in La. The Frank Morris case is just one of many civil rights era cold cases that journalists like Stanley Nelson and David Ridgen are investigating as part of The Civil Rights Cold Case Project, which is an unprecedented collaboration of journalists from across the media spectrum, created in the aftermath of the trial of former Klansman James Ford Seale. Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) is seen standing in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. "By the time the neighbors called 911, the incident in Ascension was already happening," Ard said. [2] A few days after the arson, the informant was approached by Morace who stated that if "he, Jones, Torgersen, and Scarborough were arrested, the source should get them out of jail". Beloved Mississippi school bus driver killed during crash with 18-wheeler, Eleven players with Mississippi ties selected in 2023 NFL Draft, Truck possibly connected to Hinds County jail escape found in Newton County, Paraplegic fisherman speaks to Beulah Baptist Church, Belhaven football puts a smile on the face of little girl, City of Byram awarded thousands of state dollars for infrastructure projects, Request a First Alert Weather School Visit, Advertising Non-Discrimination Certification. Young pilot killed in small-plane crash in Catahoula Parish - The News-Star That continues today, and even now.. Lewis raced outside with a shotgun. Whatley said Deacons held meetings at Mercy Seat Baptist Church, where shoe shop owner Frank Morris had served as an usher, as well as Mount Olive Baptist Church and St. Charles Catholic Church. Virginia online court records do not list an attorney for Theriot. According to police, the man shot his girlfriend and then shot himself. The dismantlement was due to several reasons, including the broader enforcement of civil rights laws, the progression of the Vietnam War and the election of blacks to school boards, town councils and police juries. McCray drove the suspects to a location around Bayou Drive in Ferriday, where the suspects pulled out a gun and shot him. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Read full article on original website. Klansmen had learned that McCraney was a member of a secret organization of black activists, the Deacons for Defense and Justice. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Ard has said that Theriot left the Ernests' home in Livingston Parish in Billy Ernests pickup truck on the morning of the killings and that he was in the same vehicle when he was arrested in Virginia. He would return home wounded physically and confounded mentally over how he could have been considered good enough to risk his life for his country in Vietnam but not good enough to attend the local high school. Police say the couple was at the woman's mother house at the time. Ferriday Police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide that happened Wednesday afternoon. He was also named 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. At approximately noon Sunday, Grant Dunbar, 24, was found dead at a residence in the area of Fifth Street and Georgia Avenue in Ferriday, said Ferriday Police Chief Sam King. 2021-09-07. Theriots grandmother was worried he would be headed her way and asked Richmond County, Virginia, sheriff's deputies to go to her home, Sheriff Stephan Smith has said. Nelson interviewed witnesses to uncover unknown facts and haunting recollections about the racially-motivated murders around Ferriday. Ferriday Police investigating suspected murder-suicide His father, Sullivan, operated a shoe shop in Natchez, Mississippi. Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activity was exceptionally high during the Civil Rights era.
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