Wheelchair-bound Donna Slater found stabbed on kitchen floor

[Dakota Valkyrie]

A disabled woman in the Orange Grove area was found stabbed to death in her home, Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said Friday.

Donna Slater, 46, used a wheelchair and was found on the kitchen floor of her house off Shingle Mill Landing Road about 4 p.m. Thursday, Byrd said.

Slater's death was initially thought to be from natural causes. But deputies moving her body noticed a deep wound on her neck, Byrd said.

"She was stabbed with some type of sharp object," the sheriff said, adding that deputies had not discovered a murder weapon Friday afternoon.

"She lived in the home with her son," Byrd said. "Her parents live next door and they're the ones who found her."

The sheriff said there were no signs of forced entry to the home, "but we later discovered that she left her door unlocked all the time," he said.

http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississ...770.xml&coll=5

[Dr. Salvador]

um, yeah this is about 5 minutes from my house.

[Lizard]

All right, Dakota. She obviously wasn't wheelchair bound since they found her on the floor.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

...
Donna’s father, Wayne Osborn, lives next door to his daughter. Wayne says he was alerted something was wrong by the victim's teenage son. That's when he found his daughter dead near the back door.

“I ran over there and felt of her pulse and I know she was gone then you know, I couldn't believe it you know, still can't,” says Wayne. Family members say Donna was born with an open spine. They say she worked hard to overcome health problems and lead an independent life in a wheel chair.
...

http://www.wkrg.com/crime/article/wh..._killed/24218/

[Insomniac]

Rest in peace Donna. I hope they find the scumbag that did this to you.

[Dakota Valkyrie]

Johnny Townsend and Joe Loggins

Two convicted felons have been charged with capital murder in last month's stabbing death of a disabled Orange Grove woman, Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd said Thursday.

The March 5 murder of Donna Slater, 46, occurred during an armed robbery, investigators said.

Arrested were Johnny Lee Townsend, 44, Victor Street, Pascagoula, and Joe Anthony Loggins, 41, Meridian Street, Moss Point.

"We have a very strong case," said Byrd. "There's no doubt in my mind that we have the right guys."

[...]
Townsend and Loggins were denied bond during an appearance in Jackson County Court and booked into the Jackson County Adult Detention Center.

Townsend knew Slater, because his girlfriend had previously worked at her house as part of a home health care service, said Lt. Ken McClenic.

Family members have said Slater had spina bifida and used an electric wheelchair. McClenic said only Slater's purse was taken. It was later recovered on Old Stage Road.

"He may have intended on taking more stuff, but once you kill a lady, you're not going to stick around to take a lot of stuff," McClenic said.

Capt. Mick Sears said evidence at the scene showed Slater did not die immediately and struggled to get help after she had been stabbed. Investigators said her parents lived next door.

Townsend previously has been convicted of robbery, a weapons offense, grand larceny, burglary of a residence, armed robbery, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance within a facility.

Records show Townsend was released from prison in July after serving an eight-year sentence, convicted on eight different charges including two counts of armed robbery, two counts of burglary and grand larceny.

Loggins was on active probation at the time of his arrest. Loggins previously has been convicted of multiple counts of uttering forgery, delivering a controlled substance and shoplifting. Loggins was released from prison in July after serving time for possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

Slater's death was initially thought to be from natural causes, but deputies moving her body noticed a deep wound on her neck, Byrd said.

Authorities determined soon after the killing that robbery was the motive.

On the day Slater was killed, her 14-year-old son found her lying on the kitchen floor of her house.

http://www.gulflive.com/news/mississ...040.xml&coll=5