Shooting victim dies days later at hospital
Published 7:00 am Saturday, September 10, 2016
On Saturday, Sept. 3, the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department responded to a call in reference to a shooting at a Poplarville residence.
At 9:15 p.m. that day, deputies responded to 93 Charlesbyrg Road and found the victim sitting in the living room suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the abdomen, Chief Deputy Shane Tucker said.
The victim told deputies that he and his wife were having an argument when she began throwing items at him, leading him to go into a separate room, Tucker said.
The assailant, later identified as Linda Hethcoat, 62, of that address, fired three shots through the door a short time later, Tucker said.
Hethcoat was arrested at the scene while her husband, Joseph Hethcoat, 66, was transported to Forrest General Hospital, Tucker said.
Linda Hethcoat was not charged at the time, but transported to Pine Grove for a psychological evaluation, Tucker said.
Joseph Hethcoat died at the hospital on Friday morning due to his injuries, Pearl River County Coronor Derek Turnage said.
Linda Hethcoat was arrested later Friday by the sheriff’s department for first-degree murder, Tucker said.