Greenville, MS – In Washington County Circuit Court, Christopher Franks, 36 yoa, Trudy Ponder, 38 yoa, and Parker Huddleston 26 yoa, pled guilty to killing Thomas McIntosh, 32 yoa, in December of 2014, District Attorney Dewayne Richardson announced today.
The family of Thomas McIntosh, whose remains were found in a Washington County field in April of 2015, will have closure after the final defendants were sentenced by Judge Richard Smith on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
Judge Richard Smith, Circuit Judge for Washington County, accepted guilty pleas from Christopher Franks, Parker Huddleston and Trudy Ponder for their involvement in the death of the Oak Grove, Louisiana man who was reported missing in February of 2015 to the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.
Franks pled guilty to the crime of Second Degree murder and received a 25 year sentence with the Mississippi Department of Corrections with 20 years of that sentence to serve. Franks was determined to be responsible for applying the lethal injection that caused McIntosh’s death. Huddleston and Ponder each pled guilty to the crimes of Culpable Negligence Manslaughter and received sentences of 20 years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections for their roles in causing McIntosh’s death.
McIntosh traveled from his home to Washington County to gamble in a local casino in December of 2014. Once he arrived, the defendants befriended the victim. “The evidence at trial would have shown that after a few days of spending time together, the victim was given an injection of a ‘hot shot’ by Franks” said Washington County District Attorney Dewayne Richardson. Richardson said that this ‘hot shot’ was a lethal mixture of chemicals purported to be methamphetamine that resulted in the death of McIntosh. McIntosh’s body was then placed in a field by the defendants, where his remains were found months later.
Richardson added that, “The Office of the District Attorney appreciates the hard work of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and the West Carroll (LA) Parrish Sheriff’s Department for their work in solving this case. The pleas in this case bring to an end the search for Mr. McIntosh that was begun by his devoted family. We hope that they can find peace and closure in this case.” This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney John L. Herzog, Jr.
Contact: W. Dewayne Richardson District Attorney, Fourth Circuit Court District | 662-378-2105