The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-12-24
Continue Search In North Jackson
County For Lucedale Slayer Of Four
Report Hunted =
Mon Seen Neur
Hurley Wednesday,

An intensified search for a
George county farmer who is be-
lieved to be the slayer of four
persons lear Lucedale Tuesday,
conferred in North Jackson coun-
ty as this paper went to press
after reports that the hunted kill
er was seen on the highway near
Hurley Wednesday night.
Officers rushed to the scene
with bloodhounds, which have
been working on the scent since
the wholesale slaughter, but the
dogs failed to pick up a trail.
The buckshot-riddled bodies
of the sheriff of George county,
two women and a two-months-
old baby were believed to be the
victims of Murdoch Hinton, 49,
year-old George county farmer.
Hinton, who is believed to be
armed with a shotgun, or a pistol,
and plenty of ammunition, is
thought to be hiding in the North
Jackson county section where he
has a number of relatives resid-
ing. "a
Following a report that a man
answering the description of Hin
ton had been seen in a house at
Crichton, Ala, Tuesday, officers
converged on the Mobile suburb
but there was no evidence re-
leased that substantiated the ru-
NOR of the killers presence.
Uses Shotgun In Staying
According to a reconstruction
of the killing from mute evil
dence of the slain bodies and an
eyewitness account of the firing
of one of the shots, the blood
curdling killings began Tuesday
afternoon when Sheriff ]. E. Nell
son was summoned TO the home
of Mrs. Hinton, who had obtain
ed a divorce from Hinton about
a month ago, by her daughter,
Gloria, 20 years old, to investi-
gate trouble there"
Hinton is believed to have
fired a load of shot into the sher-
Tiff as he got out of the car and
a neighbor, Grady Pagan, said
he then saw the farmer walk
over and place the gun near the
fallen mans chest and pull the
trigger again.
The man leveled the gun at
Gloria in the back seat of the
sheriff's a and she was killed
with a charge in the back and
another in the back of the head.
In the house were found the
bodies of Mrs. Hinton and her
two = month : old granddaughter,
Judy. Mrs. Hinton had been shot
twice, n charge nearly ampu-
tating her right leg. another
tearing off the top of her head
and two others pulverizing her
chest and side. The baby was al
most cut in two by a blast into
the chest.
Escapes In Sheriff's Car
After the shooting, Hinton
jumped into the dead sheriff's
car and escaped with the riddled
body of the girl in the back seat.
The car was later found wreck
ed on Highway SO with the girls
body still in it but there was no
sign of Hinton. Highway patrol
men said someone had told him
he heard the man break his way
through the glass window of the
wrecked car and head for the
woods.
All local officials. both city and
county, as well as State Highway
Patrolman w. G.. Gray and Coun-
ty Highway Patrolman A. o.
Davis, both of whom have their
headquarters in Pascagoula, were
joining in the search for the slay-
er. Officers of Alabama and Mis-
sissippi had searched wooded
areas near Lucedale and had es-
tablished road blocks on all roads
in the vicinity, in Jackson coun-
ty, George county and into Ala
bama. 2
Services for Mrs. Hinton, her
daughter and the baby were con-
Quoted at Fails Funeral home in
Lucedale Wednesday afternoon
with the Rev. Frank Dement,
conducting the rites over the two
flower-strewn coffins, the baby
having been buried in the coffin
with one of the women. Inter-
ment was in Taylor cemetery.
Sheriff Nelson was buried
Thursday afternoon, with the
Rev. B. Moseley officiating. In
terment was in Magnolia ceme-
terry, Lucedale.