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THE LEADER Thursday, June 10, 2010
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Volume 124 • No. 33
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Arrest made in Harris murder By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
DRUMMONDS – One week after the beating death of a Drummonds mother, a former employee has been arrested and is expected to be charged with her murder. Tuesday night the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office took suspect Rickey Alvis Bell Jr., 30, into custody in Shelby County. He was placed on an investigative hold and is
expected to be charged with first-degree murder this week. “I speak for all Tipton Countians when I say we’re grieving this loss,” Sheriff Pancho Chumley said after the arrest. “This is a senseless tragedy.” Chumley said though a suspect is in custody, the investigation is still ongoing. “We’re going to continue
to work around the clock on this,” he said. “I want to encourage anyone who has any further information about this to contact the Tipton County Sheriff’s Office.” Bell, who lived in Drummonds near the Harris family, worked for All About Style Construction and Landscaping, a company owned by Rick Harris. Bell was released from a
Pennsylvania prison earlier this year after serving a 13-year sentence for armed robbery. Officials said Bell lived at 7612 Richardson Landing Road, just around the corner from the Harris family. An SUV was towed from the Bell residence late last week. “We’re there because there’s a focus of something at that residence that we’re
SEE ARREST, PAGE A2
Det. Chris Williams leads Rickey A. Bell Jr. into custody. Bell, a Harris family employee, was arrested this evening and named a suspect in the murder of Starr Harris. Photo by Echo Day.
States earmarks $22M for megasite By TIFFANY HOLLAND tholland@covingtonleader.com
Teens gathered Friday night to hold a candlelight vigil for Starr Harris, the 36-year-old mother murdered behind her Drummonds home on June 1. Photo by Echo Day.
Friends, family mourn loss of Starr Harris By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com DRUMMONDS – As investigators combed the deep woods behind her home for clues, family and friends memorialize Starr Harris, the Drummonds mother found dead last week. Deputies responded to a call at 57 Richardson Landing Lane at approximately 8:40 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, after friends and family members discovered the body of the 36-year-old behind her home. “I can’t imagine how anyone could hurt such a sweet person,” said Harris’ longtime best friend, Kelly Phelps. “She would do anything for anyone.” After noticing the home in “disarray” and Harris missing, Phelps said family members began searching for her in the woods; a teenaged family member found her body. June 1 was the three-year anniversary of the death of Harris’s father, John Nelson, and Phelps assumed the date was the reason for unreturned phone calls and text messages to Harris. “Throughout the day, I felt like something wasn’t right,” Phelps said. “Starr wasn’t one to not answer the phone or a text. I thought she was having a bad day because of that, but when I got a call that the house was in disarray,
A family attends the candlelight vigil held for Starr Harris at Munford City Park Friday night. Photo by Echo Day.
that’s when I knew something was wrong.” Phelps, who is engaged to Harris’s nephew, and other family members were on the scene before paramedics arrived. “It was unbelievable,” she said, tears welling up in her eyes as she described finding her best friend beaten to death. “She was a wonderful mother, a wonderful friend, one of the best people I’ve ever met.” Harris, who with husband Rick had a blended family of eight children, was described as a loving
mother and wife. “Starr was very much in love with her husband and very much loved the children they were raising,” Phelps said. Rick said his last memories of Starr came as he left for work on June 1. “The last time I saw her she was waving goodbye on the porch,” he said. “I’ve left here many, many days and come home … to her.” The Harris family lived on family land, said Phelps, a fact she hopes leads to convicting Starr’s murderer. “This is not just a house on the main drag,” she said. “You have to pass family homes to get down there. Multiple witnesses saw multiple people down here (last) Tuesday.” Funeral arrangements were made Thursday as investigators spent a second day combing the woods behind the Harris home. Preliminary autopsy reports released Friday evening confirm severe blunt force trauma was the cause of death. “She definitely didn’t deserve this,” said Rick. A candlelight vigil for the mother of eight was held at Munford City Park on Friday, June 4. Groups of teenagers gathered around Harris’s children, showering them with prayers and memories of their mother. SEE VIGIL, PAGE A2
After weeks of debate, the Tennessee state legislature passed a budget on June 4 for the next year that includes $22 million for the megasite located in Haywood County. Residing close to the Tipton County line, the site stretches over 3,800 acres of land and is being groomed for potential businesses to house an infrastructure for industry. The money allocated in the budget is in addition to $9 million in a contingency fund of the federal government going to all the states. The executive subcommittee of the State Building Commission voted unanimously on September 29, 2009, to approve the expenditure of $40 million to purchase the megasite. However funds are still needed to prepare the infrastructure to function before any one industry purchases the site. The $22 million in capitol is critical to reserving an industrial tenet at the megasite. Tipton County Mayor Jeff Huffman said there are many things that must be completed before the site is used for industry. “A great deal of expenses are needed to turn farm land into a spot for a huge business to run,” said Huffman. “Once these utilities are put in place I believe will see a lot more activity and interest in the site for business.” The megasite needs access to the sewer system, gas, water and numerous other utilities. It also will require many modern technological capabilities that industries rely on, such as fiber-optic technology and high speed Internet. Another plan for the allotted funds is for new SEE BUDGET, PAGE A3
Participation declines for annual Relay By ECHO DAY eday@covingtonleader.com
T
he signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life typically raises thousands of dollars for cancer research, but donations have been declining, say organizers. Since 1996, Relay for Life has raised more than $1 million in Tipton County, but participation has been decreasing in recent years. “Part of it was the economy, but there are other factors too,” said organizer Heather Ziegler. An average of one in three Americans is diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime and, unfortunately, there is still no known cure. ACS is trying to change that. Through various programs, such as its annual Relay for Life, the American Cancer society wants to raise money to help prevent cancer, save lives and diminish suffering from the disease. The event begins at dusk, symbolizing the beginning of a journey from cancer diagnosis and into remission, a journey through the darkness and into the light. In years past, dozens of teams have signed up to walk the track overnight during the event and sixSEE RELAY, PAGE A3
Area events events Area This week’s This week’sFeatured featuredChurch: church:
Covington • Barretville • Millington • Collierville South Tipton • South Covington Morgage Offices: South Tipton • Millington • Arlington • Collierville
FRONT.indd 1
Munford Church of Christ Turn A7forfordetails details Turn to to Page Page A7
Music On The Square Court Square – Covington 7 p.m. 6/12 Courage Under Fire
6/9/10 3:31:55 PM