Authorities Search Area Near AL/FL Line For Missing Woman’s Body
March 7, 2009
Alabama authorities continued their search Friday for Melinda Wall McGhee, the Atmore area woman that has been missing for five years.
Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department officials spent part of Friday searching an area off Perry Lane in Wawbeek for clues in McGhee’s disappearance. Perry Lane is about a mile north of Highway 31 off Sardis Church Road near Old Atmore Road. The location is about three miles north of the Florida/Alabama line and North Escambia.
On the last day of January, authorities searched a water-filled gravel pit off Jack Springs Roads near the Judson Cemetery between Atmore and Poarch, but they did not locate a body.
Melinda Wall McGhee was reported missing from her residence on Kent Road on March 24, 2003. She was 31 at the time.
Authorities said that they follow up on leads and recheck some locations involved in the case.
Anyone with information on McGhee’s disappearance is asked to call the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department at (251) 809-0741 or their local law enforcement agency.
Pictured above: Two photos of Melinda Wall McGhee who went missing in March 2003.
Carver/Century Students Pocket Hundreds Of Dollars In FCAT Cash
March 7, 2009
Carver/Century K-8 held their FCAT Cash Grab Thursday and Friday. Students were awarded dollar coins and $2 bill for their gains on the FCAT practice test.
“Remember the FCAT is next week, and we are going to work to do our best,” Principal Jeff Garthwaite told the students Friday morning. “What level do we want?”
“Three!”
“Four!”
“Five!”
The students around the cafeteria yelled the score they thought they would make on the FCAT.
“Are we going to do our very best next week?” the principal asked.
“Yeah!” the students yelled.
The school handed out almost $400 in their FCAT Cash Grab.
The money for the school’s cash grab was from the Foundation for Excellence in Education, a non-profit corporation committed to enhancing the quality of public education in Escambia County by encouraging innovation and excellence in the classroom.
During Friday morning’s FCAT Cash Grab, third grader Zynaisha Davis, fifth grader Joshua Tyus, third grader Nyk Gransision and fourth grader Markayla Bradley were the randomly chosen students that got to grab as much cash as they could with one hand from a bowl filled with coins.
Click here for more photos from the Carver/Century FCAT Cash Grab.
Pictured above: Fifth grader Joshua Tyus grabs all the money he can during the Carver/Century FCAT Cash Grab Friday morning at the school. NorthEscambia.com photo.
Northview Chiefs Beat Central Christian To Improve To 4-2
March 7, 2009
Northview beat Central Christian 12-2 in five innings.
Northview scored four in the second, two in the third, two in the fourth and four in the fifth. The Chiefs held Central Christian to just one point in the first and one in the fourth Thursday night in Bratt.
The leading hitters for Northview were Austin Reid, who collected two singles and scored a run. Dakota Stuckey had two singles, scored a run, and added an RBI.
Austin Lowery was one for two at the plate with a two-run homerun. Brad Lowery collected a single, and scored a run. Brad Foster had a triple with three RBI’s. Dabney Langhorne collected a single for the chiefs.
Austin Reid picked up the win on the mound. He pitched four innings, gave up two runs, both unearned. He gave up three hits, walked four, and struck out seven. This brings his record to 2-1 on the season.
The Northview Chiefs are now 4-2 on the year.
Suspect At Large After Manhunt; He Calls Cops To Say He Is Nearby
March 7, 2009
A manhunt Friday afternoon in Byrneville ended with one person in custody and another suspect on the run.
Deputies were searching for Jedd Jackson Grimes, 24, of Brewton. He is wanted on a robbery with a weapon charge in connection with a home invasion; he also has outstanding warrants out of Alabama, according to Lt. Carl Jones of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department.
The search for Grimes was called off at 4:50 Friday afternoon after tracking dogs were unable to locate him.
At one point shortly after the search began, Jones said Grimes actually called deputies to say that he was in a wooded area not far from where he had ditched his truck.
“But he was on the run and lying to us,” Jones said.
Grimes was described as white male with light color hair that was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.
Teka Michelle Campbell, 32, of Pensacola was taken into custody at the scene. Deputies say she was wanted on a probation violation warrant and for failure to appear. She remained in the Escambia County Jail Saturday morning without bond. Court records indicate that she violated probation on a petty theft charge from 2006.
Lt. Jones attempted to turn around and stop a small pickup truck occupied by a Grimes and Campbell near 960 Byrneville Road. That address is just south of McBride Road, about 1.5 miles south of Byrneville Elementary School.
Before Jones could make the traffic stop, Grimes fled the scene on foot into some nearby woods behind a house. He was described as wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.
Tracking dogs from Century Correctional Institute assisted in the search. Additional tracking dogs from Santa Rosa County were called to the scene.The search was in the area bordered by Byrneville Road near McBride Road, and Crary Road.
The Escambia County (Fla.) Sherrif’s Department, the Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Department and the Flomaton Police Department were involved in the search for Grimes.
Byrneville Elementary School was placed in lock down, but Principal Dee Wolfe-Sullivan says that the school was been dismissed without incident.
The school dismissed at about the normal time Friday afternoon, but Sullivan said the dismissal was a well planned careful one. Students in the school’s portable building were walked by adults from the classrooms, one building at a time. Students were walked to their buses by teachers and staff.
Sullivan said a deputy was at the campus during the dismissal.
Students that remained after school for tutoring remained under lock down while on campus.
Pictured top and bottom: Suspect Teka Michelle Campbell is placed in a deputy’s cruiser Friday afternoon in Byrneville. Authorities searched for nearly four hours for a male suspect before ending the manhunt. The blue pickup the suspect fled from is in the background of the photo. Pictured middle: An Escambia deputy pulls onto Byrneville Road. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Northview Holds First Home Track Meet In Years
March 7, 2009
Northview High School competed in their first home track meet in many years this week on their newly resurfaced track.
Many NHS track team members placed in the meeting, and the girl’s team placed first with 55 points
The results from the meet are below:
‘Undie Sunday’ At Molino Church
March 7, 2009
Tomorrow will be “Undie Sunday” at Highland Baptist Church in Molino.
The church is encouraging members and visitors to bring donations of new underwear for the Gulf Coast Kid’s House as part of a drive being conducted by the Escambia County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.
An underwear drive also started this week during Highland’s Wednesday night Kids Klub, and at Molino Park Elementary School.
The committee is asking the North Escambia community to donate new, never worn underwear, socks and diapers. There is a need for all sizes, infant through adolescents.
The Gulf Coast Kid’s House is a center where abused and neglected children receive services from a number of agencies. While the Kid’s House is located in Pensacola and serves all of Escambia County, a fair number of the children served are from our area. Abuse is an issue found in every community, both urban and rural.
“As February is viewed as the month of love, we felt it was an appropriate time to ask our neighbors to show their love for some of our most vulnerable neighbors – the abused children,” said Rikki Vidak, Farm Bureau Women’s Committee member. “We would like to put a donation box in your church, school or business.”
There will also be a donation box at the Molino Farm Bureau office through March.
For more information, contact Rikki Vidak at 587-4246 or call the Farm Bureau office at 587-2135.
Relay For Life Yard Sale Today
March 7, 2009
A Relay for Life Yard Sale is taking place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the Century Ag Building on West Highway 4.
All proceeds benefit the Century Correctional Institute Relay for Life team.
Authorities Search For Suspect That Shot And Killed One, Injured Another
March 6, 2009
The Atmore Police Department is investigating a murder that left a 19-year old woman dead and a 26-year old man with serious injuries.
Atmore Police were called to the McRae Apartments at 10:18 Thursday night.
“Upon arriving at the scene officers found two gunshot victims inside the residence,” Glenn Carlee, Atmore public safety director, said.
Carlee said officers from the Atmore Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance at the residence of Alice Evans located at 607 McRae Street, Apt. C-2. Upon arriving at the scene officers found two gunshot victims inside the residence.
Police say Marquetta A. Washington, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance personnel. Washington was the daughter of Alice Evans and living at the residence with her mother.
Family members tell NorthEscambia.com that Washington was a few months pregnant.
Tony Hudson, 26, was suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest. He was transported to Atmore Community Hospital and later transferred to University of South Alabama Medical Center in Mobile. Atmore Police say Hudson is believed to be a friend of Ms. Washington.
Carlee said Ferrell Purdue, 44, has been named as a person of interest in this case. Purdue (pictured left) may be living at the address of a relative on Lamar Circle in Bay Minette, Ala. The suspect left the scene in a gray or silver Dodge Charger. Police say Perdue also owns a red Mustang with racing stripes.
“It is believed that Ferrell Purdue has been in a relationship with Alice Evans and that Ms. Evans was attempting to end such relationship,” Carlee said. “Evidence indicates that Ferrell Purdue forced himself inside the residence by breaking a window in the front living room area of the apartment, then entered thought the broken window and shot Tony Hudson and Marquetta Washington at close range with a long barrel gun. Alice Evans was in the house at the time of the break-in but escaped unharmed through the same window Purdue had broken. Her daughter Marquetta Washington was found in her bedroom and Tony Hudson was found in the living/dinning room area. Mr. Hudson was listed in stable but critical condition at the time of transfer. The body of Marquetta Washington will be turned over to the Department of Forensic Science in Mobile for examination.”
Officers from the Atmore Police Department, Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff’s Office, and Poarch Tribal Police responded to the call. The Alabama Bureau of Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations sent agents to assist with the crime scene. Investigators will meet with District Attorney Steve Billy Friday morning to obtain felony warrants on Ferrell Purdue. Anyone who knows the location of Ferrell Purdue should contact the Atmore Police Department at (251) 368-9141 or your local law enforcement agency.
Pictured: Ferrell Purdue, 44, a suspect in a Thursday night Atmore murder. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com.
Man Busts Into Atmore Apartment, Shooting Two; One Dead
March 6, 2009
The Atmore Advance reports a black male busted into an apartment at McRae Apartments in Atmore Thursday night, shooting two people with a shotgun.
A female was killed. A male was transported to a Mobile hospital with severe injures.
The suspect is still at large.
For more information and a photo, visit AtmoreAdvance.com
County To Pay Former Admin. Touart’s Legal Bills Over Ethics Complaint Filed By Walnut Hill Man
March 6, 2009
Escambia County will pay thousands of dollars in legal fees for former Escambia County Administrator George Touart in connection with an ethics complaint filed in part by a Walnut Hill man.
The Escambia County Commission voted 3-2 Thursday night to pay the $3,629.60 Touart spent defending himself against the ethics complain. Marie White and Kevin White voted against paying the bills, while Grover Robinson, Gene Valentino and Wilson Robinson in favor.
County Attorney Alison Rogers had recommended that the commission deny the request because it did not meet reimbursement criteria. Rogers said the complaint was related to Touart’s private business, not county business.
After Touart resigned in September 2007, an ethics complain was filed against him by Preston Solomon of Walnut Hill and Michael Coonan of Pensacola. The complaint was dismissed by the state’s ethics commission.
The ethics complained alleged that Touart was linked to company that was contracted to remove post-hurricane debris in the county. There were also allegations that Touart’s wife was improperly hired by the county.
“The defense of complaints filed by Preston Solomon and Michael Coonan with the State of Florida Commission on Ethics by former County Administrator George Touart does not meet either statutory or common law criteria for reimbursement of legal fees and costs by Mr. Touart,” Rogers said in a letter presented to commissioners.
White said he decided to vote against paying the bill, saying that he felt the county should follow the advice of its attorney.