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Mississippi Cold Cases

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Mississippi Murders

If you’re curious about the facts surrounding the number of murders in Mississippi by year, several law enforcement agencies’ websites provide archived and current reports and statistics, most commonly available on their website. In addition, the Federal Bureau of Investigation prepares and publishes a Uniform Crime Report each year that details the types of crimes, crime rates, and crime locations in each state, county, and city across the United States.

In addition to law enforcement, Project: Cold Case is a nonprofit that has prepared and shared a public database of nearly 25,000 unsolved homicides across the United States, along with a page dedicated to the number of unsolved homicides and the homicide clearance rate in each state. According to Project: Cold Case’s unsolved homicide statistics page, there were around 10,051 murders in Mississippi between 1980 and 2019. Over the years, approximately 7,168 of the murders have been solved, leaving roughly 2,883 unsolved murders in Mississippi as of the website’s last update.

Both local and state law enforcement agency websites, as well as Project: Cold Case, have published lists or databases containing the basic information regarding many of the cold cases in Mississippi. Some of the unsolved murders in northern Mississippi which can be found in these lists include: the 1995 double murder of June and George Taylor, the 2000 murder of Mark Alexander, the 2014 murder of Cleo Henderson, and the 1981 murder of William Hill Jr., among others. Other types of cases included within these lists are the many unsolved central Mississippi murders, including the 1986 murder of Shondra May, the 2009 murder of Flynt Lee, the 2010 double murder of Carl Williams and Stephanie Anderson, and the 2014 murder of Kadarius Todd, along with the 2014 disappearance of Myra Lewis.

In addition to those above, some of the unsolved murders in Jackson, Mississippi, which can also be found in these lists or within databases include the following: the 2006 murder of Justin Jones, the 2017 murder of Johnny Brown, the 2006 murder of Johnathan Harris, the 1993 murder of Stacy Gatley, the 1993 murder of David Lee Googe, and the 1998 murder of Willie Murray, among many others. Finally, a few of the many unsolved murders in Hinds County, Mississippi, include: the 1998 murder of Edward Allen, the 2000 murder of Erica Hardy, the 2001 murder of Janeka Stovoll, and the 2013 murder of William Nachlinger, among others.

Unsolved Mississippi Murders

As of Project: Cold Case’s last website update, there are approximately 2,883 Mississippi cold cases. Many of the unsolved murders in Mississippi can be found listed in an organized manner by many local, county, and state law enforcement websites, along with the database created by Project: Cold Case. A couple of the many northern Mississippi unsolved murders which can easily be found listed on various law enforcement and investigating agencies’ websites and other databases include: the 1995 double murder of June and George Taylor, the 2000 murder of Mark Alexander, the 2014 murder of Cleo Henderson, and the 1981 murder of William Hill Jr., among countless others.

Also among the lists are the many unsolved murders Jackson, Mississippi, which include: the 2006 murder of Justin Jones, the 2017 murder of Johnny Brown, the 2006 murder of Johnathan Harris, the 1993 murder of Stacy Gatley, the 1993 murder of David Lee Googe, and the 1998 murder of Willie Murray, among many others. In addition to those previously stated, some of the other unsolved murders Mississippi included within the various lists of Mississippi cold cases are the few examples of east Mississippi unsolved murders. These include the 2014 suspicious death of Christian Andreacchio and the 2011 triple murder of Rong Chen, Mei Rong Li, and Mei Jin Li, among others.


Joseph Smedley
Joseph SmedleySuspicious Death, 2015
Asha Degree
Asha DegreeMissing, 2000

Consider this

More than 200,000 unsolved cases have gone cold since 1980, and murder clearance rates continue to drop. With equity for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other underserved victims not prioritized in the true crime community—together we can do better.

Famous Mississippi Murders


Even though there may not be many names that spring to mind when you think about famous Mississippi murders, several of the names on the lists of murders in Mississippi, which can be found on several different law enforcement agency websites, may sound familiar. A handful of the several names within the various lists of all murders in Mississippi, list of Mississippi murders, and notorious Mississippi criminals, seem to have become household names.

A few of the most well-known or infamous Mississippi murders which remain unsolved to this day include: the 2014 murder of Jessica Lane Chambers, the 1997 murder of Kathy Mabry, the 1986 murder of Shondra May, and the 1989 murder of Norman Ladner, in addition to the 2014 disappearance of Myra Lewis.

Homicide Rate in Mississippi

Based on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2019 Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the violent crime rate in Mississippi was 277.9 per 100,000 residents. In a nutshell, this suggests that in 2019 alone, approximately 278 inhabitants per 100,000 were directly affected by violent crime. According to the same FBI report, the homicide rate in Mississippi in 2019 was around 11.2 per 100,000 people. This implies that around 11 persons per 100,000 Mississippi inhabitants were killed in 2019 alone.

Jackson, Mississippi’s capital, is currently home to a population of more than 426,000 residents. In 2018, the violent crime rate in Jackson, Mississippi, was about 733 per 100,000 inhabitants, while the murder rate in Jackson, Mississippi, was approximately 23 per 100,000 persons. Although there currently is not a definitive way that we can accurately predict how many murders in Mississippi 2021 or how many murders in Jackson, Mississippi, 2021, we can look through archived crime reports to make an educated guess based on the data and crime trends over time. Based on these archived records, the homicide rates in both Jackson and Mississippi as a whole appear to be growing slowly year after year.


Hinds County Murders

Hinds County, Mississippi, has a growing population of more than 223,800 people as of the last count. Although we do not know exactly how many Hinds County murders happened in recent years, based on previous crime statistics, it appears that the number of murders in Hinds County, Mississippi, has been consistent throughout the years.

In certain Hinds County murders cases, investigators are able to gather a sufficient amount of Hinds County murders evidence to prosecute their prime suspect and bring them to Hinds County murders trial. The types of evidence that are frequently presented in Hinds County homicide trials is entirely based on the characteristics and traits of the crime itself. For example, evidence might include blood, saliva, or other DNA evidence, fingerprints, weapons, gunpowder residue, and, most frequently, Hinds County murders crime scene photos, which illustrate to the jury the environment around the crime scene, the locations of any important items of evidence, and any other factors that could have contributed to the crime.

Jackson, Mississippi Murders

Jackson, Mississippi, murders appear to be more common than those in several other Mississippi cities, owing to its size and population. Many of the cold case murders in Jackson, Mississippi, have been solved over the years, and authorities continue to look into the remaining unresolved cases. As these cold cases remain cold, Jackson murders discussion will relentlessly continue on various popular social media websites, including Facebook, Reddit, and Websleuths. These social media platforms are frequently home to discussions where users speculate and share their thoughts about Jackson murders pictures, Jackson murders crime scene photos, and Jackson, Mississippi, murders autopsy photos, which are very seldom released even after a case is solved.

In recent years, massive advancements in DNA technology have resulted in the closure of hundreds, if not thousands, of both recent and decades-old cold cases in Mississippi. The 1998 murder of Leola Jordan, the 1990 murder of Betty Jone, and the 1992 murder of “Baby April” are just a few of the numerous examples where Jackson murders DNA, as well as DNA from crimes in other regions of Mississippi, was utilized to solve or provide new information to cold cases.


Mississippi Serial Killers

Throughout its lengthy history, Mississippi has seen more than its fair share of Mississippi killers. The most well-known Mississippi serial killers may be found in any top ten or other type of serial killer list, such as list of serial killers in Mississippi or other Mississippi serial killer list. These lists frequently contain some of the most notorious Mississippi serial murderers, including Glen Rogers, also known as the “Cross Country Killer,” who murdered at least five people in four different states, including Mississippi; and Donald Leroy Evans, who murdered at least three people from 1985-1991 in Florida and Mississippi, but confessed to killing across more than 20 states.


Crimes in Mississippi

If you’re keen to learn more about the data surrounding crimes in Mississippi, numerous law enforcement organizations provide yearly reports on their websites that detail the types of crimes that are committed within the state. For example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation publishes an annual Uniform Crime Report that includes crime rates and statistics in each city, county, and state in the United States, including an in-depth report for crime in Mississippi.

Unfortunately, it appears that the number of Mississippi homicide and true crime stories in Mississippi will never cease entirely. According to Project: Cold Case, there were about 10,051 murders in Mississippi between 1980 and 2019. Approximately 7,168 of those homicides have been solved throughout the years, leaving about 2,883 unsolved homicides in Mississippi alone, as of the website’s last update. Despite this, Mississippi’s numerous law enforcement agencies will never stop working to solve all of the Mississippi’s true crimes.

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Additional Mississippi Cold Cases

Myra LewisChristian AndreacchioJarrod JohnstonGlen FayardAngela BarrentineMicky ColmanTimothy WaldropLorie Ann Mealer PennellMichael MoselyFelicia Warren1989 Lincoln County Jane Doe, Melinda Lou BarnhouseMadeline PondsGenevieve MunozJessie Edwards Sr2001 Hinds County Jane Doe2001 Perry County Jane Doe2005 Jackson County Jane DoeOctober 1999 Hinds County Jane Doe2014 Panola County Jane Doe1997 Adams County Jane Doe1980 Stone County Jane Doe1998 Hancock County Jane Doe1972 Jackson County Jane Doe1980 Harrison County Jane Doe1985 Desoto County Jane DoeJuly 1999 Hinds County Jane Doe1999 Adams County Jane Doe1975 Harrison County Jane DoeApril Johnson1967 Adams County Jane Doe1969 Harrison County Jane Doe 1 1969 Harrison County Jane Doe 21969 Harrison County Jane Doe 3Rebecca Reid2011 Hinds County John Doe2014 Sharkey County John Doe2014 Hinds County John DoeRachel AndersonKatrina KinseyMary Levitz2002 Hinds County John Doe1998 Forrest County John Doe2001 Jackson County John Doe2000 Harrison County John Doe2002 Perry County John Doe2007 Harrison County John Doe 2006 Hancock County John Doe 2005 Jackson County John Doe 2006 Jackson County John Doe Jessica Stacks1991 Pearl River County John Doe 1992 Jackson County John Doe 1994 Adams County John Doe 1993 DeSoto County John Doe 1977 Jackson County John Doe 1988 Jackson County John Doe 1986 Hinds County John Doe 1979 Harrison County John Doe 1975 Harrison County John Doe 1987 Harrison County John Doe 1987 Jackson County John Doe Latrice ArmsteadAnthony JosephDesiray WangleGary ChisholmDaniel DuttonElizabeth GamblinJoe GilesAshley HankinsJohn HeflinEdith HillmanMary LoperDavid BridgesBenjamin BearrickRuth BarberLyrian Barry-StallingsJerry ArmstrongCameron AndersonKyle AndersonLaMoine AllenClare AlesEvelin Coria-CoronadoMendy Coria-CoronadoAnnslea CurtisJennifer FloydTimothy FraizerMary FranklinJackelyn Gomez-CoronadoKimberly Gomez-CoronadoNah'Viah GriffinThomas HallJeff HarmonRonda HarneyTravis HuntGeovany ItzepKreneice JonesMerkedes JordanBruce KnightMoriah LudwigShaun MaddingDennis MannJones MartinHeather MccoolRobert MoranTori MosesLeigh OcchiAlexis PachecanoDiego PachecanoJose PachecanoMarco PerdomaWilliam PolkClinton PraterJasmine PurvisAbraham RamirezKayla RodgersPhyllis RomeBrennan SimolkeRita StantsTessie TemoresDaffany TullosKimberlee TurnerTina WallsJames WelterKaren ZhouRebecca PaulkCarl MatthewsTommie HarrisTessie TemoresShalunda MatthewsDemakia PhinizeeAnnie HearinMoises FigueredoTim BoshartEddie BurdenJonathan EstesHarry Morel, Sr.Pauline WilliamsCasey HerringFrank GarciaRommie EssexAngela FreemanRicky DonnellJason AshleyGlenn WilliamsJuanita ColemanArthur WintersCarl KingAllen TurnerNorman HeldRobin SmithJefferson WestJoseph BurnleyStephanie HartwellMarguerite MaydenLutricia Smith ThompsonWillie WheatonOscar WilcherTammyetta SpauldingErin DavisGeorge MilamFloyd PriceWillie WhiteJames MangrumAsia MartinJamie WhiteNerissa FranklinBarry BerryhillKimberly ClarkJohnny CrosbyVickie EllingtonLester JonesLouis KathmannJames McCleodDesmond MooreKaila MorrisWilliam PhillipsKamesha WilliamsAngela WilliamsAlicia AllenChristopher MitchellAlisha IvyJessie CutleyKourtenay DavisDeashia DoraJoshua JarrellMercin Lucas MartinezCarl ManuelDamarkus MatthewsBruce SmithTroy WaltonJessie BarnesShirley GladneyKatherine LoweryBrian MartinRonald Duck Jr.David MizeRobert SheriffThomas SpiersMichael StricklinWillie TobiasStacy HazeltonJoe VaughnHarold ElmhorstClyde Ellis JrAlvin Palmer Jr