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Armstrong, Jerry Lee 12-23-1977; DeSoto County, Ms 18 YO
Topic Started: Sep 24 2009, 06:34 PM (1,644 Views)
monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
Cold Case: Jerry Lee Armstrong
30 Year Old Cold Case Still Looking for Answers
Updated: Wednesday, 23 Sep 2009, 9:38 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 23 Sep 2009, 9:38 PM CDT

Jill Monier
HERNANDO, Miss. - Almost 32 years after a Hernando high school quarterback disappeared on prom night, his family still hasn't given up hope that the case will be solved.

Jerry Lee Armstrong disappeared, in 1977. Today his brother, Johnny, is still searching for answers.

Johnny Armstrong says, "Hurts to look at him like that, gone that long, 32 years no body is talking."

December 23rd, 1977. 18-year old Jerry Lee Armstrong drove to prom at the National Guard Armory in his brothers 1973 White Pontiac LeMans. It was the last time the Hernando High School quarterback was seen.

DeSoto County Commander Fred Perez says, "Several people saw him at the dance, one saw him as he was leaving the dance that was the last time he was ever seen."

Commander Perez, recently dusted off the case. He says, not only was Jerry Lee Armstrong's body never found, neither was the car he was driving.

Perez says, "Normally on a robbery, burglary of an automobile we would have found the car somewhere abandoned, stripped, burned normally you're going to find the car, but no car."

Johnny believes his brother was murdered and a victim of mistaken identity. He thinks someone, possibly the Ku Klux Klan, was after his older brother, James, who was dating a white girl at the time…something he says was not accepted in Desoto County in 1977.

Jerry Lee was driving James' white LeMans that night. Deputies say they're not ruling anything out.

Perez says, "Anything could have happened to this young man but it's the not knowing part that you're going to lose sleep over."

Johnny says he and his family has lost a lot of sleep over the disappearance and the unwillingness of sheriff's deputies to investigate the case in 1977.
Armstrong says, "I don't feel like they investigated like it was supposed to be investigated."

He's not the only one that thinks the case wasn't fully investigated.
Perez says the case file is unusually thin, showing a disorganized investigation or lack of interest.

Perez says, "pictures, initial reports, missing person reports, case logs of what action was taken when this man was reported missing, none of that was in the file."

Johnny says he's been told someone with "a lot of power" was involved with his brother's death. At one point, the FBI was investigating. They have since; made their files available to the Sheriff's Office who says the case will remain open until it's resolved.

Perez says, "There's no reason anyone would want him dead, everyone we interviewed says he was an average high school kid, never in trouble."

Armstrong says, "Jerry never been in trouble, Jerry never got a speeding ticket, never pulled over by police."

Both investigators and the Armstrong family believe the people responsible are alive and still in the area.

Perez says, "we're willing to talk to anybody who may have information doesn't have to be here at the sheriff's office, names don't have to be made public, we just need help, we need information."

Armstrong says, "These people who did this have to pay one way or another, if it's not here they'll get it when judgment day comes."

Sheriff's deputies say if you have information that can help them, call Crimestoppers at 662-429-TIPS. That's 662-429-8477. As always you may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/crime...y_Lee_Armstrong
Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/...pic=16255&st=0&
http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/...pic=16424&st=0&
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Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
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video http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/cold-c...rong/1318468373
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Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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mimi
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Jerry Lee Armstrong
DOB 8/1/1969
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mimi
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automobile also missing
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Ell
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Heart of Gold
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http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2009/1...12306732109.txt

Possible break in Hernando cold case

By staff reports
Published: Friday, November 6, 2009 9:52 PM CST
HERNANDO — Forensic experts will examine human remains discovered in Arkansas in 2001 to determine if they could be those of a Hernando teenager who went missing almost 32 years ago.

Commander Fred Perez with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department said the family of Jerry Lee Armstrong recently gave DNA samples to authorities to see if the remains might be a match to Armstrong, who disappeared following a Christmas dance at the Hernando National Guard Armory on Dec. 23, 1977. Armstrong was 18 at the time he disappeared.

“They (Arkansas authorities) have found some remains, and their investigation has concluded these are the remains of a black male between 16 and 19 years old who was found in Poinsett County in 2001,” Perez said Friday. “At the time there were no reported missing persons in Poinsett County.”

Poinsett County is about 80 miles from Hernando.

Perez said that fishermen discovered the remains in a ditch near the St. Francis River in 2001. The remains were found several feet from the water’s edge.

“Apparently the water level had gone down and exposed the remains,” Perez said.

Arkansas authorities contacted Perez after seeing Armstrong’s information in a missing persons database.

Perez said Armstrong’s information was recently entered for the first time into the National Center for Missing Adults.

“Jerry Lee Armstrong’s information, for whatever reason, was never entered into the national database,” he said. “Even if this proves not to be Jerry Lee Armstrong, it (DNA) can be compared to other remains.”

Because Armstrong’s disappearance is believed by authorities to be linked to a hate crime, the case has received fresh attention from local and state authorities.

The FBI, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and other agencies have been investigating the Armstrong case on an on-again, off-again basis for the past several years.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department at 662-429-1470.
Ell

Only after the last tree has been
cut down;
Only after the last fish has been
caught;
Only after the last river has been
poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
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Ell
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Heart of Gold
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http://z13.invisionfree.com/PorchlightUSA/...showtopic=16424
Ell

Only after the last tree has been
cut down;
Only after the last fish has been
caught;
Only after the last river has been
poisoned;
Only then will you realize
that money cannot be eaten.
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mimi
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Found Remains Could Solve 30-Year Old Cold Case
Updated: Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 9:43 PM CST
Published : Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 8:18 PM CST
Jill Monier
HERNANDO, Miss. - Desoto County, Mississippi Sheriff's investigators have learned the remains of a Hernando High School football player, missing since 1977, may have been found in Arkansas.

FOX13 first aired the Jerry Lee Armstrong cold case in September. Since then the FBI got involved and the sheriff's deputies say they've received a lot of new information.

Investigators say they're excited about the progress in the case and hope to use DNA to positively identify remains found in Arkansas and bring the family some answers.

Commander Fred Perez with the Desoto County Sheriff's Office says the remains of 18-year old Jerry Lee Armstrong, missing for nearly 32 years, may have been found in Poinsett County, Arkansas.

Perez says, "This case seems to get more interesting every day. We got a call from the medical examiner in Little Rock saying they found remains and the computer indicates it could be a possible match."

Armstrong disappeared from Hernando, Mississippi December 23rd, 1977. That night, he drove to prom at the National Guard Armory in his brother's 1973 white Pontiac Le Mans. It was the last time the Hernando High School football player or the car was seen.

The remains, found in Poinsett County, are believed to be around 30 years old. The Medical Examiner determined they belong to an African American male between 16 and 19 years old.

Poinsett County is about an hour and a half northwest of Hernando.

Perez says, "They haven't been able to find any missing persons this would match up with and proximity to us. How do I say this? It's encouraging."

The remains were found in 2001 in the St. Francis River, by a fisherman. Investigators say they were once buried.

Perez says, "the remains were unearthed because of their proximity to river. They washed up when the river went down, that's why fisherman was able to see something that looked unusual."

Investigators are now collecting DNA from Armstrong's surviving family members in hopes of making a positive ID.
The potential match was discovered just a few weeks ago, because Armstrongs' information was just entered into a national database designed to help identify unknown remains.

Perez says, "I think it's something could have been done years ago but again not a lot of proactive things were done on this case."

Perez feels the case was not investigated properly, but says he and the new sheriff are dedicated to giving it the attention it deserves and hope to bring the Armstrong family closure.

Perez says they hope to have the DNA results back in 6 months and hopes they'll be able to determine a cause of death.

If you have information about the case, call Desoto County Crime Stoppers at
662-429-TIPS (8477). As always you can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

LINK | Watch the Original Cold Case Story

Perez is also interested in a 1986 newspaper article about a car that was excavated on the East side of Desoto County in a an area called Dark Corners.
There was not a picture of the car.

In the article, the writer says investigators asked them to not publish it for a few days because it might "hinder their investigation."

Perez says, "We have nothing in our file that indicates anything about the investigation." He says it's possible it could be the Le Mans Armstrong was driving that night. The LeMans was actually Armstrong's brother's car.

The Armstrong family always thought Jerry Lee was murdered as a result of mistaken identity. They feel whoever killed Jerry Lee was really after his brother, who was dating a white girl at the time.

Perez says newspaper articles from the 1970's show the KKK was active in the area at the time.

He says if the remains turn out to be Armstrong's and if the medical examiner determines foul play was involved, Perez says, "to think it's not racially motivated would be naive."

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local...r+old+cold+case
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tatertot
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http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/local...r+old+cold+case

Found Remains Could Solve 30-Year Old Cold Case
Updated: Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 9:43 PM CST
Published : Friday, 06 Nov 2009, 8:18 PM CST
Jill Monier

Desoto County, Mississippi Sheriff's investigators have learned the remains of a Hernando High School football player, missing since 1977, may have been found in Arkansas.

FOX13 first aired the Jerry Lee Armstrong cold case in September. Since then the FBI got involved and the sheriff's deputies say they've received a lot of new information.

Investigators say they're excited about the progress in the case and hope to use DNA to positively identify remains found in Arkansas and bring the family some answers.

Commander Fred Perez with the Desoto County Sheriff's Office says the remains of 18-year old Jerry Lee Armstrong, missing for nearly 32 years, may have been found in Poinsett County, Arkansas.

Perez says, "This case seems to get more interesting every day. We got a call from the medical examiner in Little Rock saying they found remains and the computer indicates it could be a possible match."

Armstrong disappeared from Hernando, Mississippi December 23rd, 1977. That night, he drove to prom at the National Guard Armory in his brother's 1973 white Pontiac Le Mans. It was the last time the Hernando High School football player or the car was seen.

The remains, found in Poinsett County, are believed to be around 30 years old. The Medical Examiner determined they belong to an African American male between 16 and 19 years old.

Poinsett County is about an hour and a half northwest of Hernando.

Perez says, "They haven't been able to find any missing persons this would match up with and proximity to us. How do I say this? It's encouraging."

The remains were found in 2001 in the St. Francis River, by a fisherman. Investigators say they were once buried.

Perez says, "the remains were unearthed because of their proximity to river. They washed up when the river went down, that's why fisherman was able to see something that looked unusual."

Investigators are now collecting DNA from Armstrong's surviving family members in hopes of making a positive ID.

The potential match was discovered just a few weeks ago, because Armstrongs' information was just entered into a national database designed to help identify unknown remains.

Perez says, "I think it's something could have been done years ago but again not a lot of proactive things were done on this case."

Perez feels the case was not investigated properly, but says he and the new sheriff are dedicated to giving it the attention it deserves and hope to bring the Armstrong family closure.

Perez says they hope to have the DNA results back in 6 months and hopes they'll be able to determine a cause of death.

If you have information about the case, call Desoto County Crime Stoppers at
662-429-TIPS (8477). As always you can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

Perez is also interested in a 1986 newspaper article about a car that was excavated on the East side of Desoto County in a an area called Dark Corners.
There was not a picture of the car.

In the article, the writer says investigators asked them to not publish it for a few days because it might "hinder their investigation."

Perez says, "We have nothing in our file that indicates anything about the investigation." He says it's possible it could be the Le Mans Armstrong was driving that night. The LeMans was actually Armstrong's brother's car.

The Armstrong family always thought Jerry Lee was murdered as a result of mistaken identity. They feel whoever killed Jerry Lee was really after his brother, who was dating a white girl at the time.

Perez says newspaper articles from the 1970's show the KKK was active in the area at the time.

He says if the remains turn out to be Armstrong's and if the medical examiner determines foul play was involved, Perez says, "to think it's not racially motivated would be naive."
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monkalup
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The Old Heifer! An oxymoron, of course.
[ *  *  * ]
Jerry Lee Armstrong
Missing since December 23, 1977 from Hernando, DeSoto County, Mississippi
Classification: Endangered Missing

•Age at Time of Disappearance: 18 years old
•Distinguishing Characteristics: Black male. Dark hair.

Jerry Armstrong was last seen on December 23, 1977. Armstrong drove to prom at the National Guard Armory in his brothers 1973 white Pontiac LeMans. Several people saw him at the dance, and one saw him as he was leaving the dance. It was the last time the Hernando High School quarterback was seen. The car Armstrong was driving has never been found.
Armstrong’s disappearance is believed by authorities to be linked to a hate crime.
Foul play is suspected.


DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department
662-429-1470
--
Desoto County Crimestoppers
662-429-8477
http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/2192dmms.html

Lauran

"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better for people coming behind you, and you don't do that, you are wasting your time on this earth." The late, great Roberto Clemente.


In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
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Begood
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http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/ser...earchLang=en_US

Endangered Missing
JERRY ARMSTRONG
DOB: Aug 1, 1960
Missing: Dec 23, 1977
Age Now: 50
Sex: Male
Race: Black
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg)
Missing From:
HERNANDO
MS
United States


Both photos shown are of Jerry. He was last seen on December 23, 1977, driving a white Chrysler Le Mans.
ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DeSoto County Sherriff's Department (Mississippi) 1-662-429-1470
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Begood
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Both photos shown are of Jerry. He was last seen on December 23, 1977, driving a white Chrysler Le Mans.
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