The script has officially been flipped on what was once a cold case in the Mississippi Golden Triangle now that a man who raped two women will spend more than two decades behind bars.
Scott Colom, the district attorney representing Clay County, announced that 58-year-old Frederick Gandy had been sentenced to 25 years in prison for raping Amber Quick and Nashedra Strong-Clay back in 2003. The case against Gandy had remained idle until Detective Lt. Ramirez Ivy of the West Point Police Department discovered evidence that had not yet been DNA tested.
Once testing was completed at the state crime lab in Pearl, Gandy became a suspect and was arrested in July 2022. He assaulted Quick in her vehicle on January 8, 2003, before setting his eyes on Strong-Clay mere hours later. Gandy broke into Strong-Clay’s apartment on Dunlap Road and raped her.
The case against Gandy was idle for nearly 20 years as he walked a free man, despite committing heinous crimes against the two women. However, efforts by Strong-Clay to have her abuser held accountable for his actions did not go fruitless. The breakthrough in testing ultimately placed Gandy at the scene of both attacks.
In 2022, he was indicted on two counts of rape, kidnapping, burglary of a dwelling, attempted murder and attempted armed robbery. The perpetrator pleaded guilty to two counts of rape on Tuesday and received a lighter sentence than what he potentially would have faced if he had elected to stand trial on Wednesday.
