[12/15/04]Vicksburg Police Chief Tommy Moffett’s mother-in-law has been found dead in her Biloxi home, and her grandson is charged with murder.

Police found Earleen Jones, 78, dead in her Nixon Street home, at 5:59 a.m. Monday. Jones was the mother of Moffett’s wife, Debra Moffett.

“We were called there for a medical emergency,” said Biloxi Police Lt. Alan Bond.

Bond said Mrs. Jones’ son, who was not identified, placed the emergency call, and when officers arrived, he and Jones’ grandson were at the home.

Charged with Jones’ death is Dominic Terrell Crawley, 21, who lived with his grandmother.

He was arrested Tuesday and was in the Harrison County Jail today under a $2 million bond.

Lt. Bond said Jones and her grandson had a dispute, but he did not say what instigated the argument.

Harrison County Coroner Gary Hargrove said this morning that a stab wound in the abdomen caused internal bleeding that led to Jones’ death. He declined to say if Jones received more than one stab wound.

Moffett became Vicksburg’s police chief four years ago after retiring as chief of Biloxi’s police department.

In Vicksburg, Moffett replaced Mitchell Dent, who had been chief for nearly two years.