YAZOO COUNTY, MI - On Friday, April 11th, the Yazoo County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) announced that a former Mississippi chief was arrested and charged with capital murder more than four years after his resignation as chief.
According to the Clarion Ledger, deputies responded to a call around 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9th, in reference to a man who had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The department identified the man as Timothy Byrd, who was found dead at his home off of Dover Road.
The press release read, "After investigators arrived on scene, they quickly uncovered several discrepancies in the story that was being told by a male subject that was on scene at the time of the incident. Investigators continued to process the scene and uncovered more evidence that there was foul play involved."
Authorities said that deputies arrested former Yazoo City Police Chief James "Jay" Durwood Winstead, 50. The former police chief has been charged with capital murder in connection to the case. Winstead appears to be a widely known community figure. YCSO posted the following message:
"Evidence is evidence. I understand a lot of people are upset behind this and so are we. We all worked with this guy at some point in our law enforcement career, but these kinds of warrants don't get signed without sufficient evidence to do so. We have no reason to fabricate charges and once again there is evidence all over this case that none of you known about at this point. My prayers go out to the families of both parties in this situation."
Winstead started in law enforcement in 1996. He was appointed as police chief in August 2020 by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in a 4-1 vote. Winstead resigned as the Yazoo City police chief before April 2021, citing ongoing issues with the city's mayor at that time.
Winstead and Jake Sheriff, who was the Yazoo County sheriff at the time, brought up the idea of the two law enforcement agencies working together during a meeting with the city's mayor on March 23, 2021. Winstead said the mayor didn't agree to the Yazoo City police helping the sheriff's department.
Winstead said that the department's investigative captain and himself had taken on working 12-hour patrolling shifts alongside other officers due to a staffing shortage. Winstead said the staffing shortage had been going on for years. Winstead allegedly felt weighed down by the low bond set for the man accused of killing a 13-year-old in March. The bond had been originally set at $250,000 and was reduced to $75,000.
The investigation remains ongoing.
According to the Clarion Ledger, deputies responded to a call around 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9th, in reference to a man who had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The department identified the man as Timothy Byrd, who was found dead at his home off of Dover Road.
The press release read, "After investigators arrived on scene, they quickly uncovered several discrepancies in the story that was being told by a male subject that was on scene at the time of the incident. Investigators continued to process the scene and uncovered more evidence that there was foul play involved."
Authorities said that deputies arrested former Yazoo City Police Chief James "Jay" Durwood Winstead, 50. The former police chief has been charged with capital murder in connection to the case. Winstead appears to be a widely known community figure. YCSO posted the following message:
"Evidence is evidence. I understand a lot of people are upset behind this and so are we. We all worked with this guy at some point in our law enforcement career, but these kinds of warrants don't get signed without sufficient evidence to do so. We have no reason to fabricate charges and once again there is evidence all over this case that none of you known about at this point. My prayers go out to the families of both parties in this situation."
Winstead started in law enforcement in 1996. He was appointed as police chief in August 2020 by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in a 4-1 vote. Winstead resigned as the Yazoo City police chief before April 2021, citing ongoing issues with the city's mayor at that time.
Winstead and Jake Sheriff, who was the Yazoo County sheriff at the time, brought up the idea of the two law enforcement agencies working together during a meeting with the city's mayor on March 23, 2021. Winstead said the mayor didn't agree to the Yazoo City police helping the sheriff's department.
Winstead said that the department's investigative captain and himself had taken on working 12-hour patrolling shifts alongside other officers due to a staffing shortage. Winstead said the staffing shortage had been going on for years. Winstead allegedly felt weighed down by the low bond set for the man accused of killing a 13-year-old in March. The bond had been originally set at $250,000 and was reduced to $75,000.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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