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www.dailycorinthian.com
Sunday Oct. 30, 2011 $1.50
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 259
• Corinth, Mississippi •
Sunny Today
Tonight
64
40
24 pages • Two sections
Two die in house fire Father perishes in blaze while trying to rescue daughter’s friend BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
McNAIRY, Tenn. — A pair of McNairy County residents died in an early Saturday morning fire at a home in the McNairy community in the northern part of the county. McNairy County Sheriff Guy Buck said the victims in the fire were Michael Steven Kennedy, 31, of 1011 Masseyville-
McNairy Road, and Cheyenne Henderson, 11, a 6th grader at Adamsville Elementary. Henderson was staying overnight with Kennedy’s daughter, who was not injured in the fire. Officials said Kennedy died after returning in the house multiple times trying to rescue Henderson. The fire was reported at 3:40 a.m. after it been discovered by Kennedy’s
13-year-old son, who then alerted the others in the Kennedys’ two-story house, according to McNairy County Fire Chief Darrell Goodrum. Chief Goodrum said the smell of smoke in an upstairs storage room awakened the younger Kennedy and someone in the family called E-911. The Finger and McNairy Volunteer Fire Depart-
ments both responded to the scene of the fire on the frosty morning. Goodrum said the fire damage to the home was mainly on the second floor, but the lower level received a lot of water damage. He said the home was considered a total loss. Kennedy’s wife, Misty, and their two children, Dalton and Makayla, all
managed to escape the burning house without any injuries. Sheriff Buck said he believed Kennedy and Henderson both died from smoke inhalation. McNairy County Sheriff’s deputy Kevin Thompson managed to bring the young girl out of the house. He was later treated and released from McNairy Regional Hospital
Corinth Paranormal Research seeks answers for others from another realm BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
OKOLONA — It’s nearing midnight and the members of Corinth Paranormal Research are in full investigation mode. The team are not ghost hunters — who seek to prove the existence of paranormal entities. To them this is not the point. They feel certain about the existence of spirits and demons and their goal is to help people understand what is going on in their homes, answer any questions they have and try to offer solu-
tions. They’ve been called in by a worried couple who has lived in the Okolona house since June. The homeowners know little about the dwelling except that it is quite old, built in the late 1800s. They lack knowledge of the building’s past but they do know about some creepy ongoing occurrences. They say their children are often seized by an unexplainable fear and retreat to a bedroom in the house they call the “safe room” — also the room where the two
homeowners sleep. They say their pets also react to whatever it is that frightens the children. They regularly see unexplained shadows. Each night at bedtime their snugly-closed bedroom door will open by its own volition. There are voices and footsteps in the night. The Corinth Paranormal Research team arrive for an investigation. While the night’s activities won’t produce any immediate solutions, the evidence they colPlease see GHOSTS | 3A
after breathing too much smoke inside the house. Goodrum said the Tennessee Fire, Bomb & Arson Squad were on the scene of the fire on Saturday trying to determine the cause of the fire. Chief Goodrum said there were no signs of arson. The state’s fire officials are brought in to investigate whenever there is a fire fatality.
Fire chief plea: Invest in safety BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
While many can be explained by dust or water vapor in the air, orbs can often be seen as evidence of paranormal activity.
In the aftermath of a tragic house fire that claimed two lives in McNairy County, many are anxious to know how to keep their homes — and families — safe with winter approaching. Taking the time to follow a few simple precautions is an investment in safety that may well save lives. “When people are lighting their heaters, or if Please see SAFETY | 2A
State highway patrol has first Trooper School in 4 years BY ANGELA STOREY astorey@dailycorinthian.com
In July 2011 the Mississippi Highway Patrol began its first Trooper School in four years. One of the members of MHP Cadet Class 60 is Matthew Hood of Guntown who is pursuing a dream to work as an MHP Trooper. The 24-year-old cadet knows better than most the dangers involved in such a law enforcement career. His father was M/ Sgt. Steve Hood who died in the line of duty in an auto accident while in pursuit of a vehicle near the Lee-Prentiss County Line on Hwy. 370 near Brice’s Crossroads in May 2009. Steve Hood was 50. “Matthew had known for years this is what he wanted to do,” said his mother, Lisa Hood. “He’d planned it all during high school. “He and Steve had discussed it in the past. Steve’s
dream was to retire and pin a badge on Matthew. Matthew knew how happy his daddy was to serve. It’s a dangerous job but also very rewarding. He knew his dad was happy serving the state and the people.” Remembering his father helps him in such a tough environment as Cadet Class 60 where it’s said the thought of close-cropped haircuts, the noise and the drills are enough to make anyone break into a cold sweat. A special photo helps him endure the vigorous physical and mental training. “Matthew keeps a picture of his father in his pocket. That’s what keeps him motivated ... he’s been with him every step of the way in the academy,” she said. Matthew is a 2005 graduate of East Union High School and studied criminal
“I’m very proud of Matthew and I know his dad would have been very proud. The Mississippi Highway Patrol is an awesome group to work with and a wonderful second family.” Lisa Hood Mother of Matthew Hood, Cadet Class 60 member
Photo courtesy Donna Echols, Mississippi State Troopers Association
Mississippi Highway Patrol Cadet Matthew Hood gets a close-cropped military-style haircut on the first day of his training as a member of Cadet Class 60. justice at Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville. He then worked
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as a jailer with Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson about a year and a half.
A graduate of the Law Enforcement Academy at Mississippi Delta Community College, Matthew was employed with the Mississippi State University Police Department for a year and was then accepted to the MHP Cadet Class 60 held at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy in Pearl. “I’m very proud of Matthew and I know his dad would have been very proud. The Mississippi Highway Patrol is an awesome group to work with
and a wonderful second family,” said Lisa Hood. He has twin sisters, Stacie and Stephanie, 22, who look forward to hearing how each week goes in the Cadet Class for him. “This has been his dream for years. I knew this is what he would want to do. Matthew is proud to be able to be a Cadet in the class,” Hood said. Matthew’s father, Steve, was a graduate of Cadet Class 41 in 1982. Please see TROOPER | 13A
On this day in history 150 years ago Oct. 30, 1861 — President Davis is angered with General Beauregard, who sent his report of the Battle of Manassas to the newspapers. “It seemed to be an attempt to exalt yourself at my expense.” The two leaders are at odds for the remainder of the war.