Jones Co. investigator uses new technology to help with cold cases

JONES COUNTY, Miss. (WDAM) - For the past eight months, Investigator Thad Windham has been working to uncover more information on seven cold cases in Jones County.

Windham said Astrea Forensics, out of California, is now able to test physical evidence from decades ago.

“They are in the process of helping me with, in particular, two cases that I’ve got right now that I found evidence within the case file - physical evidence that can be tested for DNA,” said Windham.

One case is from 1993 when Lori Hill’s vehicle was found abandoned off her family’s property in Ellisville. The case was ruled a homicide.

“About a month, six weeks later, her body was found over in Covington County in an edge of a wooded area,” Windham said. “Lori was eight months pregnant at the time of the murder.”

Two other cases include James Abel Pryor, who went missing in 2015, and Willie Newell, who was brutally murdered that same year.

“Over a period of time, people forget these cases,” Windham said. “Some do, some don’t. Now, some people, especially family members, and stuff like that, people like that, they recall them every day, but these, when the case goes cold, it means leads have been exhausted, evidence is no longer useful.”

Windham said now is the time to remember these cases and is asking the public to help bring closure to the families.

“There are people out there right now that know exactly what happened to these people,” Windham said. “Whether they were involved, whether they know it, even second hand, bring me that. But there are people out there that know exactly what happened to these people, and my job is to bring closure to it.”

Windham said if anybody has any information about any of these cases, to call the Jones County Crime Stoppers at (601)-428-(STOP)7867 or him directly at JCSD at (601)-425-3147.

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