Cold Case Remembered

The “execution style” murders of three people in South Mississippi on April 24, 1988 still remain somewhat of a mystery.

Although there have been numerous rumors and speculations during the past 29 years, the murderer has yet to be found and brought to justice.

Lisa Rose Vega, 30, Paul H. Blackwood, 26, both of Osceola, and Bernie G. McKnight, 30, of Canton, Mich. were killed outside of an abandoned pool hall known as Clemons Corner Store, three and a half miles west of Bassett off Interstate 55.

When discovered, each person, partially unclothed, was shot in the head at close range with a 12-gauge shotgun at least once. Former Lt. J.C. Brewer, with the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department, reported at the time, it appeared as if the victims had held their hands over their heads as they were shot.

At the time of the incident, police reported the only evidence left at the scene besides six empty bullet cartridges was a 1988 Lincoln registered to Parsons Cabinet Company.

Former County Sheriff Howard Carney said, at the time, officials believed the killings to be drug related. Two years previously, Vega had given authorities evidence against several drugs dealers in Independence County in exchange for a suspended sentence on drug charges brought against her. Authorities said her cooperation resulted in the arrest of five Northeast Arkansas drug dealers as well as the discovery of a drug laboratory on an island in the Mississippi River.

The bodies of the three victims were taken to the state crime laboratory in Little Rock.

The following week, Roy Bennett, 36 at the time, of Dyess, was arrested and charged with murder and drug possession. Authorities said his finger and palm prints were discovered on the vehicle found at the scene.

A year later, Bennett went to trial in Osceola with Judge David Burnett presiding.

On March 24, 1989, a seven man, five woman jury came to a “hopeless deadlock” following six hours of deliberation. The judge declared a mistrial.

The jury did, however, find Bennett guilty on the charge of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. The jury sentenced him to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

In December 1989, Bennett went to trail for the second time on the murder charges. Second Judicial District Prosecutor Scott Hunter, who sought the death penalty in the first trial, asked the jury to sentence Bennett to life in prison.

The state called numerous experts from the crime lab, investigating officers, and Charles Sipes and Larry Sipes, who were the first two to discover the murder scene.

When the state rested its case, Bennett took the witness stand in his own defense.

The next morning, the jury came back with a 9-3 split vote, deadlocking once again.

Circuit Judge Gerald Pearson asked the jury to convene and attempt to reach a unanimous decision stating, the trial “is costing the taxpayers a lot of money.”

Approximately three hours later, the jury delivered a “not guilty” verdict.

There have been no other arrests made in this case and family members are left with unanswered questions about why their loved ones.