Ripley capital murder trial scheduled for September
RIPLEY – A Virginian man, accused of killing his daughter's boyfriend at his Tippah County home in late 2022, will have his day in court in a few months.
Circuit Judge Kelly Luther has set Sept. 23 at the Tippah County Courthouse for the start of the capital murder trial of Jeffrey Dean Spence, 67, of Sugar Grove, Virginia. Last month, his daughter, Caitlin Spence, 38, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to the capital murder of Kirby Carpenter, 36. In exchange for testifying against her father, Caitlin Spence will likely receive a 20-year suspended sentence.
Tippah County deputy sheriffs responded to the Dry Creek area of Tippah County on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2022, and found Carpenter dead from a gunshot wound outside the County Road 600 house he shared with Spence. Authorities believe Carpenter was killed on Nov. 30, 2022, and that a substantial number of items were stolen from the Carpenter estate around the time of the murder. Carpenter owned multiple rental properties and was the owner of Mississippi Gold, Silver and Coin Exchange.
The lengthy investigation by the sheriff's office and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation led to the arrest of Jeffrey Spence, his wife Karen Spence, 65, and Caitlin Spence, a year to the day after Carpenter's death.
The parents were arrested by U.S. Marshals in Sugar Grove, Virginia, on the morning of Nov. 30, 2023. Later the same day, Caitlin Spence was detained in Brookville, Pennsylvania. They were extradited to Mississippi and held in separate county jails. Karen Spence was released on a $150,000 bond in August 2024 and returned to her home in Virginia. Caitlin Spence was released on a $10,000 professional bond last month following her plea agreement. Jeffrey Spence remains held without bond in the Union County Jail.
All three Spences were indicted in April 2024 each charged with capital murder, as well as two counts of grand larceny and conspiracy. Only the capital murder trial of Jeffrey Spence has been scheduled. After spending 16 months in a Mississippi jail, Jeffrey Spence filed a motion in March to have the charges dismissed for the lack of a speedy trial.
Judge Luther dismissed that motion May 9 and then scheduled the trial for September.
While Caitlin Spence has already pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, her sentencing was deferred until after she testifies at her co-defendants' trials. In exchange for her testimony, the state will recommend Spence receive a 20-year sentence, get credit for the more than 16 months she has already served, and have the rest suspended. She will also have to serve five years of post-release supervision.
The plea agreement also calls for the conspiracy and grand larceny charges to be dismissed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Harrison Twp. woman gets probation in robbery, shooting case
Jun. 2—A Harrison Twp. woman was sentenced to probation for her part in a robbery and shooting in 2024. Crystal Carpenter, 36, was sentenced by Montgomery County Steven Dankof to up to five years of probation, on the condition that she have no contact with the victim or co-defendants Jerrell and Jermaine Harbor, as well as completing up to 500 hours of community service. Carpenter and her co-defendants were charged after an incident Nov. 30, 2024, when Montgomery County sheriff's deputies were called to Miami Valley Hospital around 4:26 p.m. for a shooting victim. The shooting victim said he med Carpenter in the 2400 block of Rugby Road to sell her marijuana, after which two men approached his vehicle with guns drawn and robbed him, according to an affidavit filed in Vandalia Municipal Court. The men reportedly dragged the victim out of the vehicle and shot him in the back as he ran away. The victim's brother, who was in the area but did not witness the shooting, took him to the hospital, records said. Video from the area showed a Chevrolet Impala pull up to the man's car, followed by a woman getting out, making a transaction and getting back in the car, court documents said. The Impala then pulls out of view and two man approach from that direction with guns drawn. The video shows the men drag the victim out of his vehicle take his bag, shoot him as he ran away, the flee in the Impala, the affidavit said. Hours later around 8:30 p.m., deputies found the Impala and tried to pull it over on North Dixie Drive near Bartley Road, but it fled, records said. Tire deflation spikes were deployed in the 5400 block of North Dixie Drive, and the Impala came to a stop near Republic Drive. Carpenter and the two Harbors were arrested. Jermaine Harbor was sentenced to four years and nine months to six years and three months for aggravated robbery, failure to comply and having weapons while under disability, according to court records. Jerrell Harbor was sentenced to four to six years for a felonious assault and aggravated robbery conviction.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
DMV Doers: DC man works around the clock helping ex-offenders become successful in society
WASHINGTON () — James Carpenter spent 24 years in federal prison after he was convicted of second-degree murder when he was 17. He never imagined helping others if he became a free man. Carpenter was approached by the founders of the non-profit, Neighbors for Justice, after he was released from prison, and he has never looked back since. Woman encouraging volunteers to build bridges through teaching English Neighbors for Justice started during the pandemic, helping those inside the D.C. Jail. There were major concerns about the living conditions while COVID-19 was spreading, so Carpenter and his colleagues brought their concerns to the District Council and other leaders. 'We were trying to be a good neighbor,' Carpenter said. 'They were going through a lockdown, and we heard the conditions were horrific, so we offered as much support as we could.' Neighbors for Justice focuses on advocacy for those still behind bars and for the men and women who served their time and our now back in society. Hagerstown business owner offers unique entertainment, learning experience Carpenter knows the challenges, and he is making sure others maximize their opportunity. 'We definitely want them to feel like their back is not against the wall and that their options aren't limited, so they won't go back to the streets,' he said. 'We want to expand their choices by helping them get workforce development and tech skills and stuff like that.' Carpenter also serves as a mentor to teenagers and young children during his spare time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Mass shooting in Fayette leaves one dead, multiple injured
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – One person died and multiple people were injured during a mass shooting in Fayette. According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, six people were shot during the Fayette Festival on Main Street just before 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 31. Man dies after being shot multiple times in Jackson Officials said two medevac helicopters transported victims to the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). The victims have not been identified, and there's no suspect information at this time. Fayette police, Jefferson County deputies and agents with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) responded to the scene. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
