PANOLA COUNTY, Miss. – Police still have not made an arrest in the death of Jessica Chambers, the 19-year-old Courtland woman burned alive Saturday night. “And we don’t anticipate one in the near future,” said Panola County District Attorney John Champion at a Thursday morning press conference.
Champion said they are still interviewing witnesses; but so far they have no suspect nor motive. “There’s not a lot of street talk out there about who may or may not have done this, so it’s making our job a little bit more difficult.”
Champion is asking the public for help. “We feel like there is somebody out there who knows something or has heard something and just may not have come forward yet,” He said. “This is a horrendous crime and nobody deserves to die like that.”
Chambers’ father had said his daughter was hit in the head and lighter fluid was poured down her month and nose before she was set on fire. She died at the hospital. Investigators confirm Chambers did share information with first responders before her death. “We know what she said, but we were not commenting on what she said,” Champion told reporters.
Detectives were still reviewing Chambers’ cell phone records Thursday as they try to piece together the final hours of her life and find her killer.
U.S. Marshals are now offering a $10,000 reward in addition to the $1,000 already offered by Crime Stoppers for information leading to an arrest. Call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-729-2169.
