Multiple arrests and charges were made by both the Laurel Police Department and the Jones County Sheriff’s Department with one suspect facing a murder charge, another facing an accessory to murder, possession of a stolen firearm, and possession of methamphetamine with intent.
Monday night at approximately 11:18 p.m., Laurel Police Department Officers responded to a shooting call at the Budget Inn located at 1108 Ellisville Boulevard. Officers located a male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound. The victim was transported to South Central Regional Medical Center via EmServe where he was later pronounced dead.
The victim has been identified as Thiem L. Quinn.
The suspect, Steven R. Thornton Jr., 31, of Jones County, was charged with one count of murder and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Another suspect, Amanda Landrum Thornton, 31, of Ellisville, was charged with one count of accessory after the fact to murder.
Both suspects were apprehended at approximately 12:51 p.m on 84 Big Lane Road as the Jones County Sheriff’s Department assisted with the case.
“I want to say that the Sheriff’s Department was helpful from the wee hours of the morning until the arrest was made,” said Cox at the afternoon press conference.
Laurel Police Chief Tommy Cox holds a press conference at Laurel Police Headquarters.
While at 84 Big Lane Road, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department issued a search warrant and found two suspects, John Bennett, 46, and Eva Easterling, 49, who were taken into custody later that day.
“We found 17 grams of methamphetamine in Easterling’s room which was in her possession, and we found a stolen weapon that was deemed stolen in August, so we arrested her brother, John Bennett, for that,” said Investigator Jake Driskell of the Jones County Sheriff’s Department.
“We did the search warrant in combination with the Laurel Police Department’s case,” stated Driskell. “I appreciate the teamwork between the two agencies and coming together.”
Sheriff Joe Berlin also commended the teamwork being shown by both agencies who are attempting to rebuild the relationship between one another during the afternoon press conference.
“We’re trying to build the relationship back between sheriff’s department and other agencies of wanting to help people,” explained Berlin. “This goes show that our investigators and our department, along with the City of Laurel Police Department, worked well together on this case, and we were able to come up with a resolution that nobody was hurt.”
Berlin also noted that additional charges could be charged to both suspects.
All suspects will have their initial court appearance in the Laurel Municipal Court on either Wednesday or Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, according to Laurel Chief Cox.