( 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. All rights reserved. CPSO says upon arrival, they found two bodies with fatal gunshot wounds. "Cold Case: Morris' Granddaughter Says FBI $10,000 Reward Gives Her New Hope". Failure to solve Ku Klux Klan-linked murder prompts anger, 47 years on 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Louisiana State University Press, 2016. According to the Concordia Sentinel, the Ferriday Police Department began investigating the deaths of two people who were killed Wednesday afternoon. Dakota Theriot was taken into custody in Virginia after killing five people in Louisiana on Jan. 27, 2019. After a false KKK rumor that he had flirted with. Two charged with murder after Natchez Teacher of the Year killed in La. The group is believed to have had only some twenty members. In Ferriday, La., an 'outlaw town,' the Deacons took a stand Louisiana family seeks answers in cold case disappearance, murder The expiry of the grand jury looking into the civil rights era murder of Frank Morris in the small town of Ferriday, Louisiana, has prompted expressions of anger and frustration from those . 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. [2] Morris entered a coma two days later, and died on December14. "We just know what he did. 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. Morris told the FBI that the men were from Natchez, Mississippi, were between the ages of 30 and 35, and that "one [man] was young with gray hair and the other was very white". "1970 Census: Population & Housing, Procedural History", "Cold Case: Silver Dollar Group linked to attacks Edwards, Morris, Jackson, Metcalfe", "Wharlest Jackson - Notice to Close File", "Cold Case: Silver Dollar Group Linked to Attacks Edwards, Morris, Jackson, Metcalfe, List of lynching victims in the United States, William "Froggie" James and Henry Salzner, Elijah Frost, Abijah Gibson, Tom McCracken, Thomas Moss, Henry Stewart, Calvin McDowell (TN), Thomas Harold Thurmond and John M. Holmes, Henry Hezekiah Dee and Charles Eddie Moore, Association of Southern Women for the Prevention of Lynching, Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, National Museum of African American History and Culture, "The United States of Lyncherdom" (Twain), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Frank_Morris&oldid=1147937870, December 1964 events in the United States, Racially motivated violence against African Americans, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from February 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from July 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Later that week, officers Frank DeLaughter and Bill Ogden intimidated Kelly and forced him out of town. This business serviced both black and white customers. Nelson interviewed witnesses to uncover unknown facts and haunting recollections about the racially-motivated murders around Ferriday. However, Poisott was eliminated as a potential witness due to his erratic amphetamine use and difficulties differentiating between personal knowledge and hearsay. 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. Later, he was transported to the parish courthouse jail in Vidalia. (KNOE) - Authorities are investigating what they believe to be a murder-suicide in Concordia Parish. When Jones was interviewed on September22, he stated that "if he was arrested for this crime, officers also would have to arrest DeLaughter". 21-year-old Louisiana man confesses to killing his parents and three in According to FBI documents, Ferriday Deacons included David Whatley, Leo Graham, Victor Graham, Herman Brown, Levado Brown, Richard Thompson, Samuel White, Frank Fleming, James Fleming, Fred Brown, Shine Calhoun, Stafford Redvine, FNU Jones, Anthony Lucky McCraney, Simon Smith, Antonne Duncan, Lionel Hooper, Vernon Smith, Anthony White, Joe Davis, Jeffrey Scott, Mack Moore and Johnny Lloyd. 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. 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. "We've got a better picture on how this happened. Copyright 2021 KNOE. McCray dutifully taught Technology Foundations and also served as Assistant Test Coordinator. 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 He killed five people," Webre said. Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) is seen standing in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. 4/23/2021 7:14 AM PT. 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. Morris opened the front door of the shop, where he was met by two men in their thirties, one of whom was armed with a shotgun. When Theriot arrived at the home, deputies were already there. This spring, Le Creuset has introduced an exciting new shade thats already selling fast: shallot, a soft lavender with pink and slight gray undertones. "We don't really know what the motive is," Ard said. 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 . Battered and ostracized while he attended Ferriday High, Whatley would go on to serve in Vietnam. Louisiana shooting suspect Dakota Theriot captured. Warrants have been signed for a Ferriday man who allegedly shot and killed another Ferriday man early Saturday morning in Ferriday. The 2020 Ferriday crime rate rose by 14% compared to 2019. 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. Whatley also was at a great risk for Klan attacks because CORE workers were housed in his grandmothers home, where he also lived. Two suspects have. Vidalia juvenile dies in fatal crash in Concordia Parish Jonesboro Deacon and evangelist preacher Frederick Douglas Kirkpatrick told the FBI they chose to call the group the Deacons because that indicated it was for the good of all people. Before those killings, Dakota Theriot allegedly killed Summer Ernest, 20, her father Billy Ernest, 43, and her brother, Tanner Ernest, 17. 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. Harp and colleagues also found a "slightly scorched" suitcase filled with fourteen and a half pints of bourbon. FERRIDAY, La. That continues today, and even now.. 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 his first year of teaching at Morgantown, Mr. McCray was named the 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. Stanley Nelson is editor of the Concordia Sentinel in Ferriday, Louisiana. Devils Walking: Klan Murders along the Mississippi in the 1960s. The Natchez-Adams School District said he taught 8th grade at Morgantown Middle School. The preliminary investigation concluded that Morris had not been involved in any racially motivated activities. [2], The FBI reopened the Frank Morris investigation in 2007, as part of the Civil Rights Era Cold Case Initiative. He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. [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]. Not far from Lewis home lived Antonne Duncan, who days later ran through a Klan roadblock when he and other African American men transported Lewis home after his release from jail. The Silver Dollar Group (SDG) was a violent and exceptionally militant Klan offshoot that operated in Adams County between 1964 and 1967. An identified suspect had also fired a shotgun into the home of Junious "Tee-Wee" Kelly after Kelly had witnessed the arson. 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. Morris had a shoe repair shop in Ferriday, and died after his shoe repair shop was burned. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Copyright 2019 WLBT. 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. Soon, Lewis was back in his Ferriday home and reunited with his wife and children. No subscription required to play. Ferriday police responded to shots fired at approximately noon Sunday and found a man deceased with gunshot wounds upon their arrival. Carl Ray Thompson, then 26, spotted his cousin's two-toned. Published: Sep. 11, 2019 at 7:15 PM PDT. On 50th anniversary of Ferriday civil rights killing - Louisiana Voice 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. The suspects then drove the body to an old food plant, where they hid it under plywood and garbage. On February 27, 1967, Wharlest Jackson, an employee at Armstrong Tire & Rubber Company in Natchez, Mississippi, was killed when a bomb exploded under the hood of his car while he was driving home. 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. A 20-year-old male and 26-year-old female were killed by apparent gunshot wounds. Born in Jonesboro before spreading most notably to Bogalusa, Homer and Ferriday, the Deacons main purpose was to fight fire with fire and to protect their communities. 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. The City of Ferriday hit a dead end with the case, and the sheriff's Department expressed no interest in taking it over.[6]. Looking for something special to get your mom for Mothers Day? I hate it for him and his family. Harp's new information regarding Morris shed doubt on the story concerning DeLaughter. 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. 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. FERRIDAY, La. We were able to get a dying declaration from the dad before he expired, Webre said. He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. 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. FERRIDAY, La. 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. Who Killed Frank Morris? - Nieman Reports 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. [3] Morris had a shoe repair shop in Ferriday, and died after his shoe repair shop was burned. Who would you like to see as our next U.S. president? He told the FBI in 1965 that though he was not a member, Deacons had sought his advice and counsel. By Sabrina Simms Robertson. His daily tasks included repairing shoes and saddles, selling jewellery, hats, and clothing, and dyeing purses. Representatives of the non-violent Congress of Racial Equality flocked to Ferriday, deemed an outlaw town by the U.S. Justice Departments head civil rights attorney, John Doar. Lets do it intellectually not forcefully, Whatley said. In an interview with Nelson, Spencer denies those allegations. 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. The Deacons came to life solely to protect their communities and others victimized by Klansmen and police. The investigation revealed new allegations that local police officers were tampering with the investigation by threatening witnesses. The sheriffs office says the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide and that there are no suspects at large. Frank Morris was a 51-year-old black businessman in Ferriday who ran a shoe shop and repair store, where he served both black and white customers. [1][pageneeded] The shop was also his residence. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Autopsies for Theriots parents were scheduled for Tuesday, Webre said. 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. Nelson investigated rumors that police officers possibly committed the arson; according to Della Mae Smith, "Deputy Frank DeLaughter had organized the arson" and local police had set the home ablaze. The suspect had been living with the Ernest family for a couple of weeks before the killings, Ard has said. If youre thinking of altering your workout routine, youre probably looking for new exercises and equipment to help you reach your fitness goals. Our effort here, as it is everywhere, is to try and uncover the truth. This page was last edited on 3 April 2023, at 04:13. [2] All four men were questioned and denied any involvement in the arson and murder. We would make it known that we were alert and we were awake, and they would flee, Whatley said. An extradition hearing is scheduled for Friday morning. Dakota Theriot, 21, fled to his grandmothers house in Virginia after the killings in Ascension and Livingston parishes Saturday morning, and he was arrested Sunday outside his grandmother's home by deputies who were already there, authorities have said. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In October 2008, Congress passed the Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, to provide the Department of Justice and FBI millions of dollars to investigate these cases. More history:Woman works to preserve Bogalusa home turned headquarters of civil rights group. So far no charges have been filed. [2] The FBI investigators believed that Morris knew his attackers, but was unwilling to divulge their identities. Ferriday police chief: Two arrests made in Sunday afternoon killing in Klansmen had learned that McCraney was a member of a secret organization of black activists, the Deacons for Defense and Justice. hide caption. [2] Morace requested that Klan members from Mississippi "give him a beating". 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. This went on month after month while I was in this school system.. According to the sheriff's office, it happened on June 23, 2019, in the. He was also named 2018-2019 Teacher of the Year. 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. One of the men who was attacked, Michael Clurman, told the Concordia Sentinel in 2007 that his co-worker, Mel Atcheson of Iowa, was beaten and kicked in the face by a white man on the streets of Ferriday in July 1965. Donnie Sanders III, 24, is charged with second-degree murder. Violent Klansmen had long been embedded with corrupt cops, some of whom wore robes themselves. "[2], On November 1920, 1967, two confidential sources described the same November meeting in which Morace, Jones, Torgersen, and Scarborough implicated themselves in the murder of Morris. The newspapers the bourbon was wrapped in had no signs of burning, indicating tampering with the scene. 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. No charges have been brought despite three FBI investigations. The sheriff said Theriot is cooperating with the investigation. 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. More:Sons of Klansmen tied to Louisiana murder haunted by sins of their fathers. FERRIDAY, La. We believe there had been some type of verbal altercation from maybe an ongoing dispute. They also stated that Morace described a battery-powered device which could "spray five gallons of gasoline in five minutes". Updated: Aug 18, 2021 / 01:29 PM CDT. James Poissot of Baton Rouge never knew his father, but knew he was a violent man who beat James' mother so severely . Blacks also became deputies and police officers. Officials had said that Theriot was believed to have been Summers boyfriend, but her family strongly denies that they were dating. 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. 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. Nelson, Stanley. The group is also suspected in the disappearance and murder of an African American employee of the Shamrock Motel, Joseph Edwards. Police said the weapon used the shooting was a .45 caliber pistol. 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. 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. Frank Morris Historical Marker Murder of Frank Morris - Wikipedia CONCORDIA PARISH, La. Although acknowledging he was hesitant, Judge John Reeves recused himself Thursday from conducting a hearing for a convicted Ferriday murderer who has spent the past 10 years in the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Ferriday Police are investigating a suspected murder-suicide that happened Wednesday afternoon. Wed march on the jail. "He gave up," and authorities were able to place him under arrest, he said. Lewis raced outside with a shotgun. Ferriday Police investigating suspected murder-suicide He was killed when the shop burned down in 1964. There have been allegations of witness intimidation, evidence tampering, and involvement by local law enforcement. Investigators say the people involved were 19 and 20-years . [citation needed], Ferriday is located in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, across the Mississippi River from Adams County, Mississippi. Police investigating Labor Day homicide in Ferriday. Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) is seen standing in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. Webre said that Theirots wounded father called 911 to report the shootings in Ascension Parish. No one was ever arrested for the killing. 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. Ku Klux Klan (KKK) activity was exceptionally high during the Civil Rights era. 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. 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. A black businessman was burned to death in tiny Ferriday, La., in 1964. Their only protection came from the Deacons, he said. The project reporters have already produced information in high-profile cases that prosecutors have used to build criminal cases against killers and conspirators who had walked free for more than 40 years. Six decades after a Louisiana man's disappearance and presumed murder, his family is still looking for answers and a body to bury. 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". According to LSP,. The Department of Justice and the FBI say they are conducting ongoing investigations into the Morris case. Part 1:A half-century ago in Jonesboro, armed black men fought back. "Weve got a better picture on how this happened," the sheriff said of the five killings. In the last 5 years Ferriday has seen decreasing violent crime and decreasing property crime. Some members of local law enforcement, including Concordia Parish Sheriff Department deputies Frank DeLaughter and Bill Ogden, were members of the Silver Dollar Group. [2] The FBI had received information that local law enforcement officials had been involved. 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. Authorities say they have given full confessions and are both charged with murder. Still inside at the time, Morris was severely injured; he died four days later at a nearby hospital in Ferriday, La. Sons of Klansmen tied to Louisiana murder haunted by sins of their fathers. McCray drove the suspects to a location around Bayou Drive in Ferriday, where the suspects pulled out a gun and shot him. Ferriday, La. According to police, the man shot his girlfriend and then shot himself. According to the Concordia Sentinel, the Ferriday Police Department began investigating the deaths of two people who were killed Wednesday afternoon. Investigators say the people involved were 19 and 20-years-old. The sheriff's office said the incident happened on June 23 in the Ferriday area in northeast Louisiana. CPSO investigates two shooting deaths on Lake St. John There have been allegations of witness intimidation, evidence tampering, and involvement by local law enforcement. They were identified as 65-year-old Mark Clark and 49-year-old Donna R. Clark, both of Ferriday. Natchez Democrat. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. CPSO officials said the incident is being investigated as a murder-suicide and there are no suspects at large. (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 . 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. Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) is seen standing in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. [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". Who would you like to see as our next U.S. president? Morris opened Frank's Shoes Service in the late 1930s, in his hometown of Ferriday, Louisiana. CONCORDIA PARISH, La. The group was largely found in Mississippi and Louisiana, and was named for their practice of identifying themselves by carrying a silver dollar. Justice may finally be served, thanks to the reporting of Stanley Nelson of the weekly Concordia Sentinel. Courtesy of the Concordia Sentinel and William Brown 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. So when there was a problem, there was a way of communicating to them what was going on.. The following day Morris's shop was attacked. Mr. McCrays zeal for education, infectious smile, gentle personality, fashion sense, and love for children will be missed by all of us at Natchez-Adams School District. Concordia Parish had 14 recorded racially-motivated murders between 1964 and 1967.[4]. He had previously dedicated songs to white women on his radio show and would lean into their cars and occasionally sit in their passenger seats. "So, this is a monster.".