Bond denied for former Mississippi police chief charged with capital murder, authorities say
The Yazoo County Sheriff's Office posted a news release via Facebook at 8:06 p.m. Thursday, May 8, stating former Yazoo City Police Chief James "Jay" Durwood Winstead, 50, was denied bond during a Thursday preliminary hearing.
Court documents show on April 14 Winstead appeared before Judge Pam May in Yazoo County Justice Court for an initial appearance, where Winstead was given a $1 million bond.
Winstead faces a capital murder charge in connection to an April 9 shooting death. The sheriff's office stated that after the Thursday preliminary hearing, Winstead was denied bond and bound over to a grand jury.
Previous Clarion Ledger reporting states Winstead first started in law enforcement in 1996. Winstead was appointed as the Yazoo police chief in August 2020 and resigned by April 2021.
According to the sheriff's office, deputies responded to a call around 6 p.m. April 9 in reference to a man who had suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities identified the deceased man as Timothy Byrd. According to investigators, Byrd was found dead at his home off of Dover Road.
"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," the sheriff's office said. "Investigators continued to process the scene and uncovered more evidence that there was foul play involved."
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Authorities said deputies arrested Winstead in connection with the case and charged Winstead with capital murder.
According to a general affidavit, Winstead "did purposely, knowingly, and feloniously kill Timothy Byrd with a Smith & Wesson 44 magnum in the commission of a robbery of $36,000 cash that was taken from Timothy Byrd's safe and hidden in the Jeep Wrangler behind the glove box."
Additional details on this investigation have not been released.
Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Former Yazoo City MS Police Chief James Durwood Winstead denied bond
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