From December of 2010 until January of 2011, local churches were suffering from unknown suspects breaking in and stealing from them. The count reached seven churches before the 20 year old suspect was apprehended.
Freddie Campbell, Jr. of Monticello plead guilty to six counts of commercial burglary and three counts of theft of property. He was sentenced to 24 months in Delta Regional Punishment Facility, with 96 months suspended, and ordered to pay over $6,000 in restitution.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Katlin Lidge, 25 years old, of Monticello, was shot and killed at a local apartment complex in Monticello in March of 2011. The prime suspect, Nicholas Nix, fled to Salt Lake City, Utah after the incident, and turned himself in a few days later. Arkansas State Police and Monticello Police Department drove to Utah and brought him back to face charges.
Nix has since been tried twice, both trials resulted in hung juries. He is scheduled to be retried for the third time in March of 2012.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
One September Sunday morning around 12:30, a call came into MPD, reporting a stabbing on Davis Street.
Michael Ray Danzy, age 42 of Monticello, reportedly a family member of victim, was arrested by police, shortly after the crime.
The victim, Tony McCarney, age 48, of Pine Bluff, was transported to Drew Memorial by personal vehicle, and died in the emergency room, of laceration to the neck.
Danzy was charged with first degree murder. during his bond hearing in front of Circuit Judge Kenny Johnson. Danzy also faced on a probation revocation hearing filed in Chicot County.
A state police special agent told the court that Danzy said McCarney hit him, before he used the knife.: but continued of the 3 witnesses who saw altercation, “No one saw Mr. McCarney strike Mr. Danzy.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Numerous break-ins and armed robberies of Monticello businesses occurred over the past 12 months.
Western Sizzlin was broken into twice in one week. Other businesses hit included Pizza Hut, Sonic, EZ Mart (numerous times), Piggly Wiggly, Topps Pizza, Crackerbox North, and the Tobacco Superstore.
October of 2010 brought the tragic news of the loss of the Sadie Johnson Building. A fire completely destroyed the well-loved and much used structure.
Eddy Deaton, a 22 year veteran of law enforcement,
