The man Mississippi police say is responsible for killing a sheriff's deputy who worked at the Raymond Detention Center had previously faced a murder charge, according to reports.
It is unknown if Hinds County Sheriff Sgt. James Dotson Jr., 32, had ever crossed paths with murder suspect Ladarien Tyrese Jones, 26, but Jones previously charged with murder, according to local blog Jackson Jambalaya.
The website noted that a grand jury indicted Jones on first-degree murder charges in 2018, but he was acquitted in a directed verdict. A directed verdict is made by a judge, usually at the end of the prosecution's case, and basically is a judgment that the prosecution had not proved its case.
According to police, Dotson was shot to death and his car stolen around 6:47 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, in the 1700 block of Dorgan Street in Jackson, the Clarion Ledger reported. Police identified Jones as a suspect in Dotson's death Nov. 4, the day police found Dotson's gray 2020 Dodge Challenger in the parking lot of an apartment complex.
"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of Sergeant James Dotson, Jr., a valued, talented, and deeply dedicated member of the Hinds County Sheriff's Office assigned to the Raymond Detention Center," police said in a statement. "He exemplified the very best of corrections—steadfast in duty, generous in spirit, and respected by all who had the privilege to work alongside him."
Anyone who has any additional information relating to this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (601) 355-8477 or the Jackson Police Department at (601) 960-1234.
