Thomas’ vehicle found, one detained

Published 11:24 am Saturday, March 12, 2016

The missing vehicle linked to a shooting in Vicksburg last weekend has been found halfway across the country.

At 1:30 a.m. Saturday morning, the 2014 silver Honda Accord belonging to shooting victim John Thomas, 52, was found in Los Cruces, New Mexico, Vicksburg police Capt. Sandra Williams said.

“One subject has been detained,” Williams said. “We are not releasing the name at this time.”

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Officers in Los Cruces stopped the vehicle because the license plate had been removed.

Thomas’ 2014 silver Honda Accord, Mississippi license plate WBN 305, has been on the National Crime Information Center, a nationwide law enforcement computer information system. The Vicksburg Police Department was notified by the NCIC when the vehicle had been found.

Vicksburg Police Department investigators will travel to New Mexico to follow up on the investigation with the Los Cruces Police Department.

“The investigation is ongoing,” Williams said.

Thomas was discovered in the parking lot of Blackburn Motors on North Frontage Road by a police officer on patrol in the area at about 6:30 a.m. Sunday lying face down in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. Vicksburg Police Chief Walter Armstrong said Thomas was found near the area where his wife, Andrea, was killed in a collision with an 18-wheeler in December 2014.

Armstrong said no weapons were found at the scene.

Thomas was taken to Merit Health River Region Medical Center and later transferred by helicopter to University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, where he was listed in very critical condition, Williams said. She said officers were unable to talk to him before he was transferred because of his condition.

As of Saturday morning, Williams said Thomas’ condition had not changed.