In Memoriam

Records Clerk - Sharon Jones

11/21/2021

Investigator Truman Carter

10/16/2014

Investigator Carter started his career with the Lee County Sheriff's Department in 1995, working in all various divisions within the department. Starting out as a Corrections Officer, he then went on to attend the academy and moved to the Patrol Division. He later moved to Investigations, where he was partnered with Zorra, an explosive detection K-9. Inv. Carter lost his battle with cancer in 2014.

Corrections Officer Linda Beichler

6/27/2014

Corrections Officer Beichler began her career with us in 2000 up to the time of her death. She worked in all aspects of the jail and handled property and commissary for the inmates. She was a life-long resident of Lee County. She worked with us up to the time she lost her battle with cancer.

Deputy Gene Mangum

5/12/2014

Deputy Mangum began his interest in law enforcement in the mid-70s when he worked for Pearl PD. He started with us in 2006 after he retired from over 25 years in banking. He served as a Reserve Deputy, Communications Officer, Court Security Officer, and was always a fixture at school ballgames and events. To know Deputy Mangum was to know how much he adored his six grandchildren. He was able to work alongside his son, who was a deputy with us also. He was very proud to see his son become a Trooper with the MS Highway Patrol. Deputy Mangum worked with us up until he lost his battle with cancer in 2014.

Corrections Sgt. Keith "Barney" Kennedy

9/03/2007

Sgt. Kennedy started his career with the department in April of 2005. He worked as a Corrections Officer and was a Shift Sergeant at the time of his death. 

Sgt. Kennedy was a life-long resident of Lee County. His daughter is now following in his footsteps with us.

Jail Administrator Mike Tucci

5/15/2007

Jail Administrator Tucci started his career with us in 2004.

Sheriff Harold Ray Presley

7/06/2001

Sheriff Harold Presley was shot and killed by a suspect who had fled from police earlier in the night.

The suspect had fled the scene of a roadblock and exchanged shots with pursuing officers. He managed to elude officers during a foot chase after crashing his vehicle. Later in the evening, Sheriff Presley received a call from a homeowner whose dogs were barking.

When he arrived on the scene at approximately 5:15 am, he and the homeowner went to a shed on the property. When Sheriff Presley opened the door, the suspect inside immediately opened fire, striking Sheriff Presley several times. Although mortally wounded, Sheriff Presley was able to return fire and kill the suspect as well.

Sheriff Presley was a U.S Army veteran of the Vietnam war and had been with the Lee County Sheriff's Department for 13 years, and had been the sheriff for eight years.

Corrections Officer Casey Harmon

3/02/1998

Deputy Jailer Casey Ryan Harmon was shot and killed by a 16-year-old detainee, at the Lee County Juvenile Detention Center, who was about to be released to his stepfather for a shoplifting charge.

The suspect was between two locked doors when Deputy Harmon opened one of the doors in anticipation of the stepfather's arrival. After he turned his back, the suspect shot him in the back of the head once with a small handgun he had managed to conceal in his shoe. The suspect then took Deputy Harmon's keys and released another juvenile prisoner and took Deputy Harmon's weapon, which was kept in a lockbox while he was on duty. The two suspects then left the facility and called another juvenile to come to pick them up. They were later stopped in a nearby county and taken into custody.

Deputy Harmon had been employed with the department for 3 months and had been with a neighboring agency as a part-time patrol deputy for one year. He is survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers.

Corrections Officer Chris Roberts

8/17/0008

More information coming

James W Partlow