Skip to content

Woman’s death Sunday is labeled homicide by sheriff

The death of a local woman Sunday has been ruled a homicide and the sheriff’s office is holding a suspect in connection with the death.
It’s the second murder in the county in 2021, both occuring within days of each other. A county man was killed last Thursday on Hwy. 27 South, and two McComb men are held in connection with that homicide.
Walthall County Sheriff Kyle Breland said Keith Penton has been arrested and is charged with first degree murder in the Sunday slaying of Mona James.
James was found dead at her residence Sunday evening.
Breland said about 9:30 p.m. Sunday that investigators had secured the crime scene and were looking into the details surrounding James death. He said a caller to 911 led to officers being summoned to the residence.
Not long after beginning the investigation into the murder of James, the sheriff’s office released a photo of a “person of interest” on its Facebook page, asking for the public’s help in locating Penton.
Later, Breland said Penton had been apprehended in Rankin County and a Walthall investigator was enroute to pick him up.
Penton is held in the Walthall County Jail awaiting an initial hearing in justice court.
“We appreciate the response of our deputies, investigators and AAA Ambulance Service, plus the other agencies providing assistance including the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and their Crime Scene Unit, the Pearl Police Dept., Walthall County Coroner and the District Attorney’s Office,” Breland said Monday.
The sheriff said additional details surrounding the death are unavailable as the investigation is ongoing.
“Anyone with information involving this or any other crime can contact the Walthall County Sheriff’s Department at 601-876-3481.

Leave a Comment