Mississippi murder suspect captured after throwing contraband over jail walls, officials say

Source: Associated Press

Mississippi murder suspect captured after throwing contraband over jail walls, officials say

Published 6:14 PM EDT, July 14, 2023

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A man suspected of fatally wounding a teenager in a drive-by shooting and then evading police for over a month was arrested by U.S. Marshals days after surveillance video showed him throwing contraband over a fence and into the grounds of a Mississippi jail, officials said Friday.

Brandon Pugh, 31, is accused of shooting into a car and wounding a 14-year-old on May 28 in Jackson, the state capital, WAPT-TV reported. The teenager died six days later.

Pugh remained on the run before he was identified on surveillance footage on July 6 throwing six packages over a fence at the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility, about 64 miles (103 kilometers) away from Jackson, according to the Mississippi Department of Corrections. U.S. Marshalls arrested him Tuesday morning.

The packages contained cellphones and chargers, the department said in a news release. Officials did not say whether they believe the packages were intended for a specific person.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-jail-smuggling-murder-arrest-1c2e898c83a4191607c6e1b2fb11e0ee