NATCHEZ, Miss. Wed march on the jail. The investigation revealed new allegations that local police officers were tampering with the investigation by threatening witnesses. During the 1960s, the area was a strictly segregated society. Before those killings, Dakota Theriot allegedly killed Summer Ernest, 20, her father Billy Ernest, 43, and her brother, Tanner Ernest, 17. The 2020 crime rate in Ferriday, LA is 192 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.3 times smaller than the U.S. average. Law officials said deputies responded to a report of a. The group is also suspected in the disappearance . 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. Police investigating Labor Day homicide in Ferriday. Investigators say the people involved were 19 and 20-years-old. He was targeted by the SDG. "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.". They quickly gave chase, pursuing the yellow Pontiac for several miles before Duncan watched their headlights start fading away. Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) is seen standing in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. He was also named 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. Virginia online court records do not list an attorney for Theriot. ranks 6th in nation for best home security, SPD reports low home burglary count, Louisiana Cancer Research center expanding its research opportunities, KNOE Monday Evening Forecast with Chief Meteorologist Marcus Walter. Later, he was transported to the parish courthouse jail in Vidalia. Klansmen took advantage of this, throwing a bomb just outside Whatleys bedroom window. This page was last edited on 3 April 2023, at 04:13. The state of Mississippi in the Jim Crow era was infamous for racially-fueled lynchings. 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. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) considered the SDG to be a highly-dangerous domestic terror cell, and conducted multiple investigations into its activities. According to Ferriday Police Investigator Sean Sublett, Wilbert Henderson, 42, arrived at his home on Fifth Street and Tennessee at 12:44 a.m. Saturday when a man approached him from the side of . Part 3:In Homer, the Deacons defied Willie Rainachs segregation. An identified suspect had also fired a shotgun into the home of Junious "Tee-Wee" Kelly after Kelly had witnessed the arson. Carl Ray Thompson, then 26, spotted his cousin's two-toned. This was of interest to the FBI, as multiple informants stated that the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Department had prior knowledge of the coming attack on Morris, and was told to "be on the other side of the parish". Murder of Frank Morris - Wikipedia We were able to get a dying declaration from the dad before he expired, Webre said. Concordia Parish authorities investigating suspected murder-suicide - KNOE Ridgen, a filmmaker from Toronto who reported this story for NPR, helped to spearhead the project with Vancouver-based Paperny Films, and the Berkeley, Calif.-based Center for Investigative Reporting. [4] Multiple disappearances and murders in the Natchez, Mississippi, area were connected to both the KKK and the SDG. By Sabrina Simms Robertson. We would make it known that we were alert and we were awake, and they would flee, Whatley said. CPSO says upon arrival, they found two bodies with fatal gunshot wounds. The sheriff's office said the suspect allegedly pointed a gun out the window of his vehicle causing deputies to seek cover, and that he was ordered to drop his weapon and was arrested without incident. 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. [2] The FBI had received information that local law enforcement officials had been involved. He said anyone who wants to resolve racial injustices and divisions should do so legally, rather than violently. (KNOE) - Authorities are investigating what they believe to be a murder-suicide in Concordia Parish. Police say the bodies were found just before 2:30 p.m. at a home on Johnson Street. He said the bureau concluded that if the bombs two sticks of blasting powder would have ignited, the house might have been destroyed. [1] The group formed in 1964 at the Shamrock Motor Hotel in Vidalia, Louisiana by Raleigh Jackson "Red" Glover,[2] amidst dissatisfaction at the lack of forceful action by Klan groups in the region. Updated: Aug 18, 2021 / 01:29 PM CDT. 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. Two charged with murder after Natchez Teacher of the Year killed in La. 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. No subscription required to play. When Lewis was released after serving two weeks, Whatley and Antonne Duncan were part of a Deacon team organized to get him home safely. 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. According to the Concordia Sentinel, the Ferriday Police Department began investigating the deaths of two people who were killed Wednesday afternoon. A preliminary FBI investigation began immediately after the arson; its goal was to "determine if any federal laws had been violated, specifically whether Morris had been involved in voter registration or other civil rights activities and whether any subjects had connections to any racist organizations. The sheriff's office said the incident happened on June 23 in the Ferriday area in northeast Louisiana. "Cold Case: Morris' Granddaughter Says FBI $10,000 Reward Gives Her New Hope". Nelson interviewed witnesses to uncover unknown facts and haunting recollections about the racially-motivated murders around Ferriday. The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations is currently investigating an officer-involved shooting that took place in Ferriday on Sunday night. King thanked Concordia Parish Sheriffs Office and its deputies who worked jointly with Ferriday Police in this investigation, he said. Two white CORE members, who practiced the non-violent approach championed by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., were beaten. The 2020 Ferriday crime rate rose by 14% compared to 2019. 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. The victim, identified as 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. McCray drove the suspects to a location around Bayou Drive in Ferriday, where the suspects pulled out a gun and shot him. On May 20, 2005, the decomposed body of 28-year-old Loretta Lynn Chaisson Lewis was fished out of a canal on the outskirts of Jennings, in the Jefferson Davis Parish of southwest Louisiana. According to the L.A. County . UPDATE: Joint investigation leads to arrest of Ferriday man involved in "We are actively, as we speak involved in this investigation. Ard said that investigators believe Theriot had been living with the Ernest family for two weeks, and that the killings happened a short time after Theriot rode with Billy Ernest to drop his wife off at work and they returned to the home. That drew the ire of Klansmen, and three months later, some of them snuck up to his house and threw a gasoline bomb at it. Come nightfall, hed study his lessons by a spotlight illuminating his grandmothers lawn while keeping watch for violent Klansmen enraged over his involvement in the civil rights movement. Copyright 2021 KNOE. "We've got a better picture on how this happened. [1][pageneeded] The shop was also his residence. More history:Woman works to preserve Bogalusa home turned headquarters of civil rights group. 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. Juvenile triple-murderer back in court 10 years later [2] All four men were questioned and denied any involvement in the arson and murder. Ferriday police chief: Two arrests made in Sunday afternoon killing in [6] Although people generally thought highly of Morris, black residents thought Morris was too shocking to white residents. Wed walk nights with rifles on our shoulders like you would see in some foreign countries, Whatley said. 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. A Louisiana man accused of shooting to death five people, including his parents, at two locations last week has confessed to the killings, but the motive is still unknown, authorities said Tuesday. 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. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Friday morning. "As far as why this happened, that motive is still unclear.". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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. Dakota Theriot was taken into custody in Virginia after killing five people in Louisiana on Jan. 27, 2019. Two WHARBOM informants also reported information regarding the murder of Morris, and the FBI reopened the Morris investigation in August 1967. "[6][pageneeded], Ferriday locals thought highly of Morris, who was a community-centric man who gave many young black men their first paying job; Morris also hosted a radio gospel program. Still inside at the time, Morris was severely injured; he died four days later at a nearby hospital in Ferriday, La. He told the FBI in 1965 that though he was not a member, Deacons had sought his advice and counsel. 0. [2] This witness also received death threats, and his home was fired upon on multiple occasions. "Weve got a better picture on how this happened," the sheriff said of the five killings. (KTVE/KARD) On Wednesday September 15, officers with the Ferriday Police Department arrested 19-year-old Denzel Washington for 2nd Degree Murder. Our effort here, as it is everywhere, is to try and uncover the truth. Harp and colleagues also found a "slightly scorched" suitcase filled with fourteen and a half pints of bourbon. The sheriffs office says the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide and that there are no suspects at large. FERRIDAY, La. 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. 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. Nelson, Stanley. 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. ", "We know what happened here. 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. Nelson published the story Wednesday morning outlining the the allegations against Spencer. 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. 2021-09-07. We believe there had been some type of verbal altercation from maybe an ongoing dispute. Nelson is a member of the Civil Rights Cold Case Project, a group of journalists, filmmakers, law schools and other organizations created in 2008 by Paperny Films in Canada and the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley, Calif. With the help of FBI documents Nelson received through Freedom of Information requests and from the Syracuse College of Law Cold Case Justice Initiative, and extensive interviews with those who knew Morris or about the case, he was able to piece together the story, ultimately naming a person suspected of being involved: Arthur Leonard Spencer, 71, of Rayville, La. 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. I hate it for him and his family. When the group began to phase out in Ferriday and the other towns by 1966, the FBI stopped keeping close tabs on the Deacons. You open the doors of your church, you tell your members whats going on and let them know that this is good for everybody involved, Whatley said. 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. Police say it happened on Johnson Street around 5 p.m. That was not the only time Whatley helped an imprisoned black man in Ferriday. 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. Frank Morris Historical Marker Had Duncan and the others not rescued Lewis, the police might have dropped him off at the railroad crossing in Vidalia, where Klansmen often waited when black people were released from the jail. His daily tasks included repairing shoes and saddles, selling jewellery, hats, and clothing, and dyeing purses. No subscription required to play. Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? According to police, the man shot his girlfriend and then shot himself. The Natchez-Adams School District said he taught 8th grade at Morgantown Middle School. [2], On August 3, 1967, a confidential informant, who was a high-ranking officer of the KKK, told the FBI that a few days prior to the Morris arson, E.D. Morace approached the informant regarding an African American, referred to as "Old Frank", whom Morace said "had been flirtatious with white women". They were identified as 65-year-old Mark Clark and 49-year-old Donna R. Clark, both of Ferriday. In 2007, Ridgen published a documentary for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that led to the federal trial and conviction of Seale, for the 43-year-old murder of African-Americans Henry Hezekiah and Charles Eddie Moore, two 19-year-olds from the Meadville, Miss., area. In his first year of teaching at Morgantown, Mr. McCray was named the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. 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. Copyright 2019 WLBT. IE 11 is not supported. Ferriday Police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide that happened Wednesday afternoon. Read full article on original website. [2] During this investigation, the FBI re-interviewed the living witnesses who had first-hand information about the arson, as well as "family members, business owners and neighbors in the vicinity of the shoe shop, law enforcement officers, community members, and former KKK members". Jeff Davis 8: The True Story of the 'Murder in the Bayou' Killings Our sincere condolences are offered to his family, friends, and coworkers.. Cold Case: James Ford Seale: A sheriff's election, nine deaths and a silver dollar, Cold Case: Who killed Joseph Edwards? The preliminary investigation concluded that Morris had not been involved in any racially motivated activities. Later that week, officers Frank DeLaughter and Bill Ogden intimidated Kelly and forced him out of town. [3][4], In 2007, Silver Dollar Group member James Ford Seale was charged and convicted for the May 1964 kidnapping of Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore, two African-American young men in Meadville, Mississippi.[5]. Ferriday police responded to shots fired at approximately noon Sunday and found a man deceased with gunshot wounds upon their arrival. Whatley also was at a great risk for Klan attacks because CORE workers were housed in his grandmothers home, where he also lived. Lets do it intellectually not forcefully, Whatley said. McCray drove the suspects to a location around Bayou Drive in Ferriday, where the suspects pulled out a gun and shot him. Warrants have been signed for a Ferriday man who allegedly shot and killed another Ferriday man early Saturday morning in Ferriday. ( KTVE/KARD) According to the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office, on Monday, May 16, 2022, deputies received information from Monroe Police Department detectives about a person. "So, this is a monster.". The FBI later concluded that the local Klan was likely to be involved, but conflicting accounts, no viable subjects, and lack of a motive led to the investigation being closed in May1965. The Department of Justice and the FBI say they are conducting ongoing investigations into the Morris case.
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