Mississippi
2 arrested in Mississippi in connection with Colorado homicide investigation
Deputies arrested two suspects wanted for numerous charges in Mississippi, as well as their alleged connection to a homicide investigation in Colorado. Johnny Morris and Hailey Cole were taken into custody Monday in Pearl River County in southern Mississippi, about 75 miles north of New Orleans.
They are considered persons of interest in the Colorado investigation.
That investigation began on Dec. 19 when deputies responded to a home in the 1800 block of Pima Drive in unincorporated El Paso County. That’s where deputies said they found large quantities of blood in several locations.
On Dec. 23, authorities asked for help from the public to locate a black Audi A4 linked to the case. The next day, Park County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a welfare check near Hartsel, Colorado, where they found the Audi at a trailhead. Investigators tied the vehicle to the missing person case in El Paso County. Authorities said 37-year-old Stephen Walker is missing under “suspicious circumstances.” He is described as 5-foot-11, 160 pounds, with tan skin, black hair, brown eyes, and tattoos on his right arm.
At a nearby residence, deputies discovered a deceased adult male, later identified as Tim Huston, 65. Due to the severity of the case, the Park County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
On Dec. 28, authorities in Mississippi located a blue 1994 Ford F-150 with Colorado license plate TQQ039 with a “HUNTER” sticker on the left fender believed to be connected to the homicide in Park County. That vehicle had been the focus of a multi-state search, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
In Mississippi early Monday morning, a woman called authorities to report that a man matching Morris’ description was attempting to break into her vehicle. Deputies searched the area and Morris and Cole were found camping in a shed nearby. They are facing a number of charges related to outstanding warrants in Mississippi, including receiving stolen property and contempt of court, as well as new charges related to commercial burglary and attempted burglary.
Cole has a criminal record in Colorado going back to at least 2018, including a still-open case for third-degree assault in Park County from 2021 and a conviction for misdemeanor harassment and telephone obstruction from 2018 in Chaffee County, for which she had probation revoked four times. She was sentenced to 53 days in jail and given credit for 51 days served, along with a year of probation. There have also been several cases involving violations of protection orders over the past several years, but those cases have been dismissed and one of those orders was vacated.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is still seeking the public’s help and is asking anyone with information to contact them at 719-390-5555.
Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers face pressure to counter looming federal cuts to health care after punting this session
Wicker: Mississippi powered Artemis II
Published 4:00 pm Monday, April 20, 2026
For nine days this month, space travel captivated the world. Families gathered around their screens as four astronauts strapped into the Integrity spacecraft docked at the Kennedy Space Center. As the launch countdown ended, four Mississippi-tested RS-45 engines ignited, and the ground shook. Seven seconds later, the Integrity had liftoff. For six intense minutes, the RS-45 engines rocketed the crew into high Earth orbit, sending them on their historic lunar flyby mission.
Mississippi should take a bow. The four RS-45 engines were tested at our very own Stennis Space Center, where Mississippians have been ensuring the quality of rocket engines since the Apollo program. For eight years, engineers, safety managers, and logistics specialists from the state have tested the engines that powered the Integrity and will power future Artemis launches. Their work paid off, and the launch was a marvel of engineering. NASA leadership made special mention of the rocket engine burn, calling it “flawless.”
One Mississippian in particular helped make the mission a success. Hernando native Matthew Ramsey handled a great deal of responsibility as the mission manager for Artemis II. The Mississippi State University graduate helped set the focus for the mission and equip the astronauts and staff for the job. Matthew also served as the deputy of the Mission Management Team, the group of NASA staff that comes together just days before a launch. The team assumes the risks of the mission ahead, and they make tough calls during flight if challenges arise.
As the Artemis II journey progressed, the world could not stop watching. Our social media feeds were full of photos and videos beamed down from the heavens. They captured humorous situations, such as the astronauts adjusting to life without gravity or testing their plumbing skills.
We also witnessed moments of majesty. On the fifth day, the Integrity began using the Moon’s gravity to slingshot our astronauts back home. That trajectory led the crew around the Moon, farther from Earth than any humans have ever gone. As the explorers looked upon outer space, they captured stunning images. Among the most remarkable is Earthset, in which Commander Reid Wiseman photographed Earth as it appeared to fall below the horizon of the moon.
When their spacecraft returned to Earth’s atmosphere, the crew was traveling nearly 35 times faster than the speed of sound. Ten minutes later, a series of parachutes began opening. Eventually, the spacecraft’s speed fell to 20 miles per hour, and the crew splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.
Mississippi was once again there to assist. The astronauts were greeted by the USS John P. Murtha, a U.S. military vessel built in the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula. The ship’s amphibious design was suited to welcome the space travelers home—equipped with a helicopter pad, medical facilities, and the communications system needed to locate and recover the astronauts safely. Crucially, the USS Murtha was built with a well deck, a sea-based garage that stored the Integrity on the journey to shore.
Artemis II was a resounding success, paving the way for planned future flights. When the Artemis program returns humans to the moon, Mississippi will be there every step of the way.
-
Augusta, GA2 minutes agoAttention, shoppers: Augusta-area Walmarts to be remodeled in 2026
-
Washington, D.C8 minutes ago11 hurt after work vehicle collides with Silver Line train at Metro Center
-
Cleveland, OH14 minutes agoHouston Astros at Cleveland Guardians prediction, pick for Tuesday 4/21/26
-
Austin, TX20 minutes agoAppeals court rules Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in class
-
Alabama26 minutes agoAlabama Defeated By Birmingham
-
Alaska32 minutes agoHawaiian, Alaska reservation systems merge: Big changes for travelers start April 22
-
Arizona38 minutes agoMichigan defenseman Hunter Hady transfers to Arizona State
-
Arkansas44 minutes ago
#24 Arkansas Explodes for Eight Runs in Eighth to Race past Missouri State in Midweek Rematch
