INCIDENT REPORT (SUMMARY)

Investigating Officer: Officer Kennon Winters

Incident No.: 002837-15G-2000

Date: 7/16/00, 2:23 p.m.

Incident Address: 955 Hiway 6 E

Incident: 911 Report - Discovery of bag of clothes, stained with what may be blood

 

Complainant's Name: Natalie James

Complainant's Age: 33

Complainant's Address: 624 Highway 6, Burgess, Mississippi

Suspects: N/A

 

All detailed reports on file

 

DESCRIPTION:

At 2:18 p.m., Dispatch received a 911 call regarding the discovery of a bag of clothing along Route 6 near Burgess. The caller identified herself as Natalie James. James indicated she would return to the scene of the discovery and wait for an officer to arrive. Reporting Officer (R/O) was dispatched to the scene and arrived at 2:23 p.m.

FINDINGS:

An adult female. later identified as Natalie James, flagged R/O down upon arrival. N. James stated her minor daughter, Opal-Marie James, age 14, had made the discovery while walking to O & M Grocery, 979 Highway 6. R/O requested permission from N. James to discuss the discovery with O. James directly, and consent was given.

O. James stated in summary and not verbatim that she was walking down Route 6 with her dog, Lester, when the dog became focused on something in the ditch alongside the road. When O. James was unable to get her dog out of the ditch, she went down to investigate. O. James saw a large plastic bag imprinted with the logo and name of the local book store, Square Books. O. James stated she then looked inside the bag, thinking there might be books inside. Instead, she observed several items of clothing. O. James started to remove the clothing when she observed "red-brown" stains on the items and saw that at least one items appeared to be torn. Believing the stains could be blood, O. James became alarmed and dropped the bag. O. James then ran home with her dog to tell N. James what she had found. Upon hearing her daughter's story, N. James immediately telephoned 911 and reported it.

R/O asked O. James to show R/O the specific location where she discovered the bag. O. James indicated to the bag and stated she believed it was in the same place that she had dropped it earlier. R/O examined the bag briefly and confirmed O. James' preliminary observations.

R/O contacted Dispatch to inform them R/O had confirmed the 911 report. Dispatch requested that R/O secure the scene and remain there with the complainants until a CSU unit arrived to take the bag and its contents into evidence and to process the area. CSU arrived on the scene at 2:52 p.m., at which time R/O drove the Jameses back to their residence.

R/O then returned to the scene to provide assistance to the CSU team as needed. R/O observed CSU's inventory of the bag's contents and noted the following items inside the bag:

• One (1) ladies' sleeveless shirt, stained and torn
• One (1) men's t-shirt, stained
• One (1) pair men's blue jeans, stained
• One (1) plastic bag imprinted with the James Food name and logo, stained
• Two (2) pairs disposable gloves, stained

Evidence remanded into the custody of Forensics officer T. R. Douglas for transport to the state crime lab for routine analysis. CSU is expected to submit a detailed report of their findings, including inventory of fingerprints, fibers and other items taken into evidence, within seven days of this report.

Detectives Ted Armstrong and Sam Murphy were notified of the incident for follow-up.

 

REPORT FILED 07/16/00, 4:50 P.M.

 

//Kennon Winters, Yoknapatawpha Sheriff's Officer