PANOLA COUNTY, Miss. — The one month anniversary of Jessica Chambers being found in an area in her hometown covered with a flammable liquid and burning alive is Tuesday.
With no arrest imminent, Panola County District Attorney John Champion says the plan this week is to do some back tracking to re-analyze the investigation in hopes of developing new leads. “We are looking at every little thing we have done in the case,” Champion said. “Having other eyes look at, you know, if officers A and B interviewed somebody, well officers C and D are gonna take a look at that interview to see if something was missed and may bring this person back in to interview.” Champion said they are also going back over phone records and forensic evidence in the case. “It’s a meticulous process. It’s just taking us time.”
And the process, Champion said, has been hampered by a lack of creditable leads. “Typically you are gonna get some talk from people on the street and we are not getting any. It’s baffling to all of us.” He said the lack of street talk could be the result of several factors. “Common sense would tell you that we are dealing with someone who hasn’t spoken a word of this to anybody and that’s why there’s no street talk. Or it could be somebody not even from the area.”
But for the few who are talking, Champion said many are spreading rumors that simply are not true. “People that have agendas against others are making accusations and it takes up our time. We have to sort through what is creditable or not.” Among the rumors on social media, Chambers’ father Ben Chambers had been arrested over the weekend in connection to his daughter’s death. “That’s not true. We have no arrest; and if we did, it’s news to me.” Even so, Champion said investigators continue to follow up on every lead they receive.
A reward of $18,000 is available for information leading to an arrest in Chambers’ death. But Champion said that amount could increase any day now. “Another agency may add some money. I don’t know the amount. But I should know this week. We are hoping that will help (generate more tips).”
Chambers family has also established a GoFundMe account to buy information. “All money will go towards increasing the reward money in hopes that someone will speak up about what they know; and we can finally bring my sister’s killer to justice,” Amanda Prince wrote in the account’s profile. To date, 42 people have given nearly $1,300 towards the family’s goal of at least $10,000.
If you have any tips that could help, call Crime Stoppers or the Panola County Sheriff Department at 662.563.6230.
