Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department Investigates Two Deaths

Location of 8 County Road 3011 within Lafayette County, according to Google Earth.
Location of 8 County Road 3011 within Lafayette County, according to Google Earth.

On Saturday, June 18, two deaths have been confirmed according to the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department.

According to Chief Investigator Alan Wilburn, deputies responded to an altercation at 8 County Road 3011 (located near Pine Flat community). Upon arrival, the deputies found the involved parties, Melisa Smith (45) and Jose Benitez (26), who were both pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi.

As told by family members, The Oxford Eagle reports that Benitez, who lived near the Smiths, broke into the home and got into a struggle with Smith, killing her. Another man in the home allegedly woke up and saw the struggle and shot the intruder.

Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate the altercation with the help of Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. No arrests have been made yet.

HottyToddy.com will update once more information is available.

Updated: Attributed the source of the media alert concerning the two deaths.


Callie Daniels Bryant is the senior managing editor at HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.

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