Lead Investigator Speaks Out About Cold Case Arrest

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – Michael Devaughn made his first appearance in front of a Starkville Municipal Court Judge on Monday night.

This is the end of a long day for the investigators and the families.

It’s been an emotional day for Starkville Police Lead Detective Sgt. Bill Lott.

For him, the 1990 Labor Day Cold Case has been about science, DNA, and endless hours of work over the years.

And its also about justice for the victims.

“It’s been a long, long journey,” says Sgt. Lott.

So it’s understandable if this detective needed to take a minute.

“Today is Betty’s birthday.”

Betty Jones was 65-years old when she was killed.

“Really special that it happened to fall on her birthday that we do this, that we’re able to announce the arrest for. ‘Her birthday?’ ‘Yeah.’ ”

Sgt. Bill Lott says he sees Betty Jones and Kathryn Crigler as more than just victims.

He sees his own family in the two ladies.

“I was raised by my sister and my aunts and I always had strong women and the more I read this case, you know, the amazing person Betty Jones was and Kathryn taught school for 30 something years. My aunt Hilda taught for 30 something years, to me, you know, it started to get really, really close.”

Saturday, he sat across from the suspect for the first time.

“I just told the other detective, I said, ‘you do the talking. I just want to look at him for a little bit.’ Because, you know, it was emotional for me and I just needed to center myself, you know, because it’s been a long journey.”

Lott says he can confirm 51-year old Michael Devaughn has been in the north Mississippi area since the crime happened back on Labor Day of 1990.

He has less to say about motive or even how Devaughn arrived in town.

“Starkville is a college town. It’s a transit town. A lot of people come here to live for a while and then they leave and then a lot of people come here to see a football game, or they come here for a party. When I was in high school, you know, I came to Starkville for parties and it could’ve been very well, you know, situations like that, so you know those, like ya said, you know, the list of possibilities are endless.”

It is now time for the investigators to hand off this case to the prosecutors.