Durant, Miss– An arrest has been made in the murder of two nuns found dead in Durant this week.
Rodney Earl Sanders, 46, of 210 Aponaug Road, Kosciusko has been charged with two counts of capital murder in connection with the killing of two nuns in Durant earlier this week. After an exhaustive interview Friday evening, MBI agents were able to develop enough information to charge Sanders.
“Sanders was developed as a person of interest early on in the investigation,” said MBI Director Lt. Colonel Jimmy Jordan. “With the cooperation of the Durant and Kosciusko Police Departments, Holmes County Sheriff’s Department and the Attorney General Office this heinous crime has been resolved.”
Sanders is being held in an undisclosed detention center awaiting his initial court appearance.
The Mississippi Department of Public Safety has increased the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the deaths of two Durant nuns by $20,000. The Holmes County Crime Stoppers chapter has put up $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the crimes making the total reward money $22,500. If anyone has information that may be useful in solving this case should call Crime Stoppers at 662-834-0099.Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill were identified as the victims. They had been found stabbed to death in their homes. Their car had been stolen.
The women served in the medical community through the Lexington Medical Clinic.
The Durant Police Department, the Mississippi Highway Patrol and Holmes County Sheriff are investigating.
“This is an active investigation,” said a spokesperson with the department. “We’ll release more when we have finished processing the scene.”
News Mississippi will keep you posted.
