Case Files - Missy Hammond Case

Incident report

On January 27, 2001, a 911 caller reported the discovery of a body inside an Elm Street residence.

DOB: 5/4/49
Occupation: Hardware department manager
Hometown: Tupelo, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s father
Excerpt: “Jonah was heartbroken and lonely but fought his depression to…”

Jonah Dale interview

The detectives spoke to Jonah Dale at the crime scene, after he found his daughter’s body and called 911.

Kevin Travers bio

DOB: 6/2/72
Occupation: Photographer
Hometown: Pontotoc, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s neighbor
Excerpt: “Kevin often seethed with anger and frustration when he…”

Kevin Travers interview

The detectives spoke with Missy Hammond’s friend and neighbor, Kevin Travers, about what went on in the neighborhood the day before her body was found.

Brenda Marsh interview

The detectives spoke to a teenager who was babysitting across the street from the Hammond house on the afternoon of January 26, 2001.

News video

The local news reports live from the crime scene, where a young mother was found dead in her home.

Missy Hammond bio

DOB: 7/18/75
Occupation: Hairstylist
Hometown: Oxford, MS
Relationship to case: Victim
Excerpt: “Sometimes the fights escalated into the breaking of furniture and dishes and even violent…”

Liddie Hammond bio

DOB: 12/12/93
Occupation: Student
Hometown: Oxford, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s daughter
Excerpt: “Liddie still believes to this day that if she had been more of a good girl, they would…”

Hammond scene evidence inventory

CSU submitted this preliminary inventory of items taken into evidence in the Missy Hammond homicide investigation.

Hammond neighborhood map

Investigators prepared a map of Missy Hammond’s neighborhood

Hammond neighbor canvass

Investigators conducted a canvass of residents in Missy Hammond’s neighborhood.

Young mother murdered

The local newspaper reports on the death of young mother, Melissa Hammond.

Roger Hammond bio

DOB: 10/31/74
Occupation: Sales Manager, Farrell Motors
Hometown: Oxford, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s ex-husband
Excerpt: “[Roger] flew into a rage and began ransacking the…”

Roger Hammond interview

The detectives brought in Roger Hammond to talk about his ex-wife’s murder.

JP Wallace bio

DOB: 8/9/72
Occupation: Warehouse associate
Hometown: Oxford, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s boyfriend
Excerpt: “By the first of the year, he was growing tired of Missy’s demands on…”

JP Wallace interview

The detectives brought in Missy Hammond’s boyfriend to talk about their relationship and the argument they had the afternoon of her death.

Daylight burglar strikes again

The local newspaper reports on recent burglaries in Yoknapatawpha County.

YCSD archive: Break-in incident report

On January 18, 2001, a 911 caller reported a break-in at a residence at 311 Elm Street.

Missy Hammond phone records

YCSD investigators obtained Missy Hammond’s phone records for the days prior to her death.

Murder victim laid to rest

The local newspaper reports on Missy Hammond’s funeral.

Dr. Charles Flaherty interview

The detectives spoke to the doctor whose phone number was in Missy Hammond’s phone records.

Johnny McPhail bio

DOB: 12/24/41
Occupation: Actor/Freelance CPA
Hometown: Burlington, NC
Relationship to case: Victim’s cousin
Excerpt: “[Johnny often gave Missy] advice on matters that she didn’t feel comfortable discussing with…”

Johnny McPhail interview

The detectives talked to Jonah Dale’s cousin, who had a close relationship with Dale’s daughter, Missy Hammond.

JP Wallace alibi canvass

Investigators conducted a canvass of Murff’s patrons to try to corroborate JP Wallace’s alibi.

Thomas & Gloria Hammond bio

Married: 6/17/72
Occupation: Co-owners, Farrell Motors
Hometown: Oxford, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s ex-in-laws
Excerpt: “Almost immediately, the couple began fighting over…”

Thomas & Gloria Hammond interview

The detectives visited the Hammonds at their car dealership to talk about their son and former daughter-in-law.

Liddie Hammond interview

The detectives spoke with the victim’s seven-year-old daughter about what she saw and heard the night her mother was killed.

Liddie Hammond drawings

In happier times, the victim’s daughter drew a picture of her family.

Coroner’s report

Preliminary report from the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner’s Office on the autopsy of Melissa Hammond. Additional analyses are ongoing.

Missy’s letter to Kevin Travers

Weeks before she died, Missy gave Kevin a letter to open if something happened to her.

Kevin Travers interview #2

Kevin Travers notified the detectives that he had some additional information to share with them.

Travers’ view of Hammond residence

Investigators prepared a diagram of the relative locations of the Hammond and Travers residences.

Brenda Marsh interview #2

The detectives talked to babysitter Brenda Marsh again to clarify some questions about her original statement.

Steve Kirby bio

DOB: 4/17/75
Occupation: Co-owner, Complete Computing Specialists
Hometown: Oxford, MS
Relationship to case: Victim’s ex-boyfriend
Excerpt: “Steve thought this was the perfect way to teach Missy a lesson.”

Steve Kirby interview

The detectives tracked down Missy’s high school boyfriend and asked him to come in for an interview.

Janet Hipps interview

The detectives tracked down the delivery driver seen in the victim’s neighborhood on the afternoon of January 26th.

Chuck Ward interview

The detectives spoke to Brenda Marsh’s friend who was with her the afternoon of January 26th.

Search – Farrell Motors

Thomas Hammond gave investigators permission to collect evidence from the Farrell Motors service center.

Farrell Motors employee canvass

Investigators spoke to Farrell Motors employees to try to corroborate Roger Hammond’s alibi.