Identification by the police of the alleged accomplice after the death of Loranger's wife and daughter; could be a death penalty case

Lina Portman3 weeks ago

0 3 minutes read

LORANGER — Police in Jackson, Mississippi, said Friday they have arrested a woman they say is connected to the deaths of a Louisiana woman and one of her young daughters who were kidnapped. Prosecutors could seek the death penalty.

Chief Joseph Wade said Victoria Cox, 32, may be a girlfriend or other acquaintance of Daniel Callihan, who was arrested Thursday in the death of Callie Brunett, 35, in Loranger and the murder of Erin Brunett in the Jackson area. Wade said the Mississippi case could ultimately lead to the execution of Callihan or Cox if prosecutors want to go that route.

“She will be held accountable for her actions and the role she played in this horrible event that occurred,” Wade said. “She could be charged with capital murder with him.”

Cox was picked up without incident at the OYO Motel in South Jackson early Friday. Wade said officers learned Thursday that Callihan may have been traveling with someone else and followed Cox to the OYO motel on Friday.

Tangipahoa Parish court records show there is a Victoria Cox who lives about a mile from the Brunett home in Loranger. It was unclear whether the person arrested in Mississippi was the same Victoria Cox.

Callie Brunett's body was found in her home Thursday morning and her two daughters were abducted. Erin Brunett was killed Thursday afternoon as police closed in on Callihan, Wade said Thursday.

“It sent shockwaves throughout the Gulf South that this actually happened,” Wade said Friday. “He killed the mother. He took her children. He took the children to Jackson, Mississippi. He killed one of the children. And probably if law enforcement hadn't intervened, the “The other child would probably have died as well.”

Earlier Friday, Rankin County officials released a booking photo of a man linked to the deaths. Separately, federal and Mississippi state investigators said they were joining the investigation. The FBI is investigating because Callihan crossed a state line while committing crimes, Wade said.

Callihan, 36, was arrested Thursday after Erin Brunett was found dead in a wooded area in the Jackson suburb of Byram. The body of the girl's mother was found Thursday morning at the family home. Jalie Brunett was found injured and taken to a Jackson area hospital, Wade said.

The FBI said it became involved in the case Thursday morning when the situation transitioned from a missing persons case to a homicide and kidnapping investigation.

“The FBI has now opened a thorough investigation into Brunett's case. We will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners at the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office and the Jackson Police Department,” he said. the FBI said Friday. “The FBI is dedicating every available resource and tool at its disposal to this investigation, including victim services personnel who are working closely with the survivors of this unspeakable tragedy.”

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said that also helps.

“MBI will pursue all charges at the state level investigation and will continue to work with all local and federal partners involved,” he said.

Both agencies declined to comment further due to the ongoing investigation.

Lawyers said Callihan and Callie Brunett had a previous relationship.

Erin Brunett, whose ages were listed as both 3 and 4, was found dead about 7 hours after her mother was found dead in Loranger. It was immediately clear when Callie Brunett had died or how long Callihan had kept the girls in the Jackson area.

Wade said it appeared Callihan killed the girl as police entered.

“Once he realized law enforcement knew where he was, he tried to get rid of the kids,” Wade said.

According to investigators, Callihan was driving Callie Brunett's car and a license plate reader alerted police and the U.S. Marshals Service to his whereabouts.

Wade said cages were found in the area where the girls were found and speculated about the existence of a larger field.

“Based on the crime scene, what it looks like, this may be the place where human trafficking occurred,” Wade said. “We see cages, small animal cages. It's very, very disturbing for me as a police chief and as a father to witness and see what I saw.”

“We don’t know if there are other children in the woods,” Wade said. “If this individual used this location as a location for child trafficking and child abduction, we want to make sure that we have that evidence to ensure that he and anyone else will be prosecuted for this heinous, heinous act and terrible.”