Court appearance delayed in shooting

Published 9:21 am Tuesday, September 15, 2015

An initial court appearance was delayed Monday for a man accused of fatally shooting another man outside a Vicksburg motel Friday.

The initial appearance for Jimmy Dale Reid was moved to Tuesday, Vicksburg police Capt. Sandra Williams said Monday afternoon.

Reid is accused of firing the fatal shot that killed Richard “Richy” May Jr., 34, inside a room at Battlefield Inn, 4137 N. Frontage Road about 9:30 p.m. Friday.

Email newsletter signup

Sign up for The Vicksburg Post's free newsletters

Check which newsletters you would like to receive
  • Vicksburg News: Sent daily at 5 am
  • Vicksburg Sports: Sent daily at 10 am
  • Vicksburg Living: Sent on 15th of each month

He is expected to be charged Tuesday with murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

“The case is still under investigation,” Williams said Monday.

Reid was arrested about 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the wood line of an area between the motel and Vicksburg National Military Park. Police Chief Walter Armstrong said the shooting was the result of an argument that erupted after two rooms were rented at the motel, apparently for a party.

Crystal methamphetamine and weapons were seized in both rooms, he said.

It was unclear if the weapon believed to be used to kill May was recovered.

Reid had been shot in the arm during the argument and was taken to a hospital before being taken to jail, Armstrong said.

May worked as a pilot for the Kings Point Ferry, District 5 Supervisor Richard George said during an informal meeting of the Board of Supervisors Monday morning.

May’s father asked the board of supervisors to declare a portion of his property on Savage Road as a family cemetery.

Funeral arrangements for May are set for noon Friday at the family’s newly established cemetery at 130 Savage Road.

Police and sheriff’s department officials are working to determine if the killing Friday is related to a fatal shooting Saturday at a mobile home park in the 600 block of Standard Hill Road.

Tamares Ledell Dillon, 35, 118 Lightcap Blvd., was charged Monday with second-degree murder and two counts of possession of a firearm after felony conviction in the death of 42-year-old Joseph Acuff Jr. Dillon was arrested about 7:30 p.m. Saturday at a home at 120 Redhawk Road.

Inside the home on Redhawk, deputies found methamphetamine, scales and two guns, Sheriff Martin Pace said.

The homeowner, Shelly T. Walker, 40, was charged with possession of meth with intent to distribute.

Another man, Jeffery Eatmon, 35, 2816 Drummond St., was inside the home when Dillon was arrested and is also charged with possession of meth and possession of a firearm by a felon.

All three suspects in the county case appeared Monday in Warren County Justice Court.

Judge James Jefferson declined to set bail for Dillon and set bail at $100,000 for Walker, who also faces a house arrest violation and $75,000 for Eatmon.