Jackson Jambalaya

The Clinton Police Department issued the following statement and six colored glossy photographs with arrows and an explanation on the back of each one.

Clinton, Miss. (September 27, 2017) Clinton Police have arrested an individual in a recent residential burglary in south Clinton. On the morning of September 26, 2017, detectives with the Clinton Police Department arrested John Murray, a 45 Y/O White Male of Weedsville, Penn. on one count of residential burglary. Murray was arrested without incident at the Murphy Gas Station on Highway 18.

On September 25, 2017, at approximately 2049 hours, the Clinton Police Department received a residential burglary call on West Virginia Drive in south Clinton. Upon arrival is was determined that forced entry had been made into the residence and several items had been stolen; jewelry, jewelry boxes, documents, a firearm, and other personal items. The home owner, indicated that he and his wife had left their home at approximately 1830 hours on September 25, 2017 and returned home at approximately 2030 hours to find the house burglarized.



On September 25, 2017, at approximately 1750 hours, the Clinton Police Department (CPD) received a suspicious person call on Laney Road in Clinton, Mississippi. Once an officer was on scene, John MURRAY was documented in the area in his orange 2002 Jeep VIN/1J4FA39S02P709206 and bearing a Pennsylvania license plate, number JXK9479. MURRAY was determined to not be a resident in the area, but no probable cause was determined by the officer to continue an investigation.

Later that evening at approximately 1854 hours, the Clinton Police Department received a suspicious person call on West Virginia Drive in Clinton, Mississippi. Once an officer was scene, MURRAY was documented with his hood up complaining of engine trouble. Responding officer once again documented that Murray was in the area in his orange 2002 Jeep bearing a Pennsylvania license plate, number JXK9479.

Upon learning of the report of the suspicious vehicle and the corresponding residential burglary, detectives quickly identifiedt John Murray as a prime suspect in the residential burglary on West Virginia Drive.

Utilizing intelligence gathered during the investigation, it was determined that Murray could potentially be in the area of Highway 18 and Greenway Drive in Jackson, Mississippi. During a search of the area along Greenway Drive, CPD detectives spotted the orange Jeep leaving the parking lot of the Quality Inn located at 2800 Greenway Drive in Jackson, Mississippi. The detectives stopped the Jeep in the parking lot of the Murphy USA Gas Station located at 2709 Greenway Drive in Jackson, Mississippi.

Murray was the sole occupant and driver of his orange Jeep. Murray consented to a search of his vehicle. Detectives located consistent property belonging to the resident of West Virginia Drive residence inside the Jeep. After reading aloud Murray’s Miranda warning, Murray confessed to committing the burglary on West Virginia Drive and indicated the location of stolen items in his Jeep. Detectives also found a small amount of Heroin in the vehicle.

Data from NCIC database indicate a significant criminal history for Murray across several states. Murray stated that he was a Heroin addict and had reverted to crime to feed his growing opioid addiction.

Clinton Police were able to quickly solve this case due to the alertness of residents to suspicious activity and their report to Clinton Police. Since the suspect had been documented in the area prior to the burglary, detectives were able to quickly identify Murray as a potential suspect.

According to Chief Hayman, this “arrest is a great example of the community quickly reporting suspicious activity to the Police Department. Had the initial report of a suspicious vehicle not been called in, the investigation would not have been solved so quickly. Once again, we encourage residents to always report suspicious behavior to the Police.”