Crime
Victims killed in Christmas Eve shooting in Lauderdale County identified, suspect charged
The suspect, 50-year-old Joseph Spinks of Toomsuba, has been charged with three counts of murder.
Lauderdale County, MS – Sheriff Ward Calhoun has confirmed the tragic deaths of three victims following a Christmas Eve shooting in Lauderdale County.
The victims were identified as 64-year-old Johnnie L. Mosley of the Lauderdale community, 48-year-old Shunda Faye Brown of the Porterville community, and 15-year-old Treyvone Young, a student at Northeast Lauderdale High School who was just one day shy of his 16th birthday.
The suspect, 50-year-old Joseph Spinks of Toomsuba, has been charged with three counts of murder.
Sheriff Calhoun revealed that Spinks was already out on bond for a felony DUI charge at the time of the shooting.
Following these new charges, all previously issued bonds have been revoked.
Spinks is currently being held at the Lauderdale County Detention Facility without bond, pending a presentation of the case to the next available grand jury.
The shooting occurred on Christmas Eve at approximately 7:10 PM at a residence in the 9500 block of Northeast Cole Road.
According to Sheriff Calhoun, the Lauderdale County E-911 dispatch received reports that three individuals had been shot.
When deputies and Metro officers arrived at the scene, they discovered:
- One victim had been transported to a local hospital by car.
- A second victim, a female, was treated at the scene before being transported by ambulance.
- The third victim was unresponsive, prompting officials to contact Lauderdale County Coroner Stella McMahan.
Deputies immediately began gathering information on the suspect, who had fled the scene.
By approximately 9:30 PM, they located Spinks and his vehicle in the 7000 block of Welch Road. Spinks was apprehended at a nearby residence and taken into custody without incident.
Early the following morning, he was formally charged with murder and booked into the Lauderdale County Detention Facility.
Sheriff Calhoun stated that the investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be filed as more details emerge. Authorities are also pursuing leads on another person of interest who may have been involved in the shooting.
“This tragic event has left our community in mourning. We are working diligently to ensure justice is served for the victims and their families,” said Sheriff Calhoun.
The loss of 15-year-old Treyvone Young has deeply affected the local community, particularly his schoolmates and staff at Northeast Lauderdale High School. Sheriff Calhoun extended his condolences to the families of all three victims and assured the public that every effort is being made to bring clarity and accountability to this devastating incident.
Anyone with additional information regarding the case is urged to contact the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office.
Crime
Eric Bechtolt Killed After Shooting at Florence Tower in Omaha, Suspect Billy Dorrall Arrested
Omaha, NE – On Sunday evening, Omaha Police Department officers responded to an active shooting at Florence Tower, located at 5100 Florence Blvd, following multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire inside the building.
The first reports were received at 6:05 p.m., with at least three separate callers stating they had heard shots fired on the fifth or sixth floor of the apartment complex.
By 6:14 p.m., a fourth caller reported seeing a male suspect walking on the sixth floor carrying two handguns.
Uniform Patrol officers arrived on scene at 6:11 p.m. and began a floor-by-floor search of the building, starting from the fifth floor.
As officers ascended the south stairwell toward the sixth floor, they heard sounds of a disturbance.
Just as they neared the sixth-floor door, it was abruptly opened by a male suspect — later identified as 50-year-old Billy A. Dorrall.
At that moment, one officer discharged their service weapon, striking Dorrall in the left hip.
In response, Dorrall fired back down the stairwell and then retreated into the sixth-floor hallway.
Once back in the hallway, Dorrall reportedly fired multiple rounds, aiming both up and down the corridor, and threatened several residents at gunpoint.
A coordinated arrest team, equipped with a ballistic shield, moved into position while officers in the stairwell maintained containment. As they prepared to enter the hallway, officers heard additional gunfire.
The arrest team entered the hallway, issued loud verbal commands, and Dorrall surrendered without further incident.
He was immediately provided medical treatment by Omaha Fire Department personnel and transported to Nebraska Medicine, where he was treated for a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. He has since been released into police custody.
During the investigation, officers recovered surveillance footage from building cameras, which was provided by the Omaha Housing Authority.
The footage shows Dorrall behaving erratically and confronting residents before engaging in a verbal altercation with another tenant, identified as 45-year-old Eric M. Bechtolt.
The video shows Dorrall returning to his apartment, retrieving a firearm, and shooting Bechtolt multiple times in the hallway. Responding officers later found Bechtolt deceased outside the stairwell door.
Dorrall was interviewed by detectives and provided a full confession, admitting to the murder of Bechtolt.
He also expressed an intent to kill additional residents and responding officers had he not been stopped.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer issued a statement commending the officers involved:
“I want to commend the officers who responded to this incredibly dangerous situation. Their training, courage, and swift response undoubtedly prevented further loss of life. What unfolded at Florence Tower was tragic, and our thoughts and condolences are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Bechtolt. Our officers acted heroically under extreme pressure, and I am proud of their commitment to protecting the residents of Omaha.”
The department has released still images from surveillance footage, showing Dorrall armed with two handguns, along with crime scene photographs of the weapons, ammunition, and spent shell casings recovered from the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.