Hinds charges ‘hit man Hutto’ in killing of Clinton woman, 81
Published 12:05 pm Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Hinds County authorities have filed capital murder charges against an Alabama man last seen in Vicksburg with an 81-year-old Clinton woman who went missing and was later found dead in Edwards.
And in Alabama, police have also charged James Cobb Hutto III with murder in the death of his aunt, The Birmingham News reported Tuesday.
Lt. Jeffrey Scott of the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department said warrants were sent Tuesday to Lee County, Ala., where Hutto was being held. Hutto, 39, was arrested Friday driving Ethel Winstead Simpson’s Mercedes.
“We understand there was a bond placed on him, and we will fax our warrants to Alabama and place a hold on him,” Scott said. “It’ll be up to conferencing between the states to see who gets first shot at him.”
Scott said bringing Hutto to justice could take time because so many jurisdictions are involved.
Simpson was last seen Sept. 13 when she and Hutto were leaving Riverwalk Casino in Vicksburg. Her body was found Friday, near a hog farm in Edwards. Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said Simpson died of blunt force trauma to the head and neck.
Hutto’s aunt, Virginia Rardon, 68, of Birmingham, was found dead at her home Thursday. She, too, had suffered blunt force trauma, authorities said.
Hutto was being held in Alabama on attempted murder and robbery charges that stemmed from a stabbing.
That victim, Mark Ambers Cox, 56, was stabbed multiple times and remains hospitalized.
“‘They call me hit man — hit man Hutto,”’ Lee County, Ala., Sheriff Jay Jones quoted Hutto telling the judge at a hearing Monday.
Bond was set at $250,000 and Hutto remains in custody, Jones said.
Auburn lawyer Todd Crutchfield was appointed to defend Hutto. Crutchfield did not immediately return a call for comment Tuesday.
The Birmingham newspaper reported Hutto is a convicted rapist.