Man Arrested After Deadly Shooting In Wesson

By: Heather Burke |
Published: September 09, 2009

A 24-year-old man is behind bars accused of a deadly pawn shop robbery in the town of Wesson.
Authorities say he's also suspected of an armed robbery at another business.
Denmon Ward was shot and killed at his pawn and gun shop in Wesson on Highway 51.
Authorities say it's the first crime of its kind there in more than a decade.
Erik Hollie surrendered to authorities.
He faces capital murder and armed robbery charges for the crime.
The Wesson Police Chief tells us Hollie pulled up to the police station with four guns in his car he reportedly stole from the pawn shop.
The chief says sheriff's deputies, police and hostage negotiators joined forces to get Hollie out of the car and arrest him.
We're told Denmon Ward and his nephew owned the pawn shop.
Police believe Ward was alone in the store when Hollie robbed and killed him.
He died on the scene.
"I am devastated over what has happened to him," said Betty Beall.
She says Ward's son married her granddaughter.
"It was just the most devastating thing we've had happen," said Beall. "My whole family we were just all to pieces because he was just a very close friend."
And also a close neighbor.
"He was good to me when I lost my husband," said Beall. "And it just breaks my heart for the family."
Beall says the hardest part of all is living across the street from the crime scene.
"It would've been bad anywhere, but being this close to home here, I don't think it'll ever be the same," said Beall. "This is the first murder we've had in Wesson in a long many years."
Beall's family will never be the same either.
"My heart breaks for the whole family," said Beall. "In other words, my heart is just broken."
Beall also tells us Denmon Ward's son had just returned home from Camp Shelby---the same day his father was killed. His son is a soldier who is getting ready to deploy to Iraq.