A four-year dispute over land ended tragically last weekend with the former property owner being shot and killed.
Chris Day was shot in the forehead on property in the Maryland Heights subdivision after investigators said Billy Thomas, the current property holder, asked him to leave the lot after Day became aggressive. Investigators say that Day had been harassing Thomas for years about the property.
Day died from his injuries Monday afternoon.
Terry Gann, chief investigator with the Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department, said Thomas has not been charged with a crime. The case is being handed over to the Grand Jury to determine if charges will be filed.
Gann said the dispute between the two men began about four years ago when Day lost his land on Canton Drive because of financial reasons. Thomas, 76, then purchased the property.
“Thomas began to have trouble with Day, who continued to say the land was still his,” Gann said. “Day began to harass Thomas over the matter, and it got intense last Friday.”
Gann said Thomas found Day inside the carport of his home on Old Benton Road.
“Thomas confronted Day and told him to leave his property,” Gann said. “Day harassed Thomas some more about the land before leaving.”
Thomas used the Canton Drive land as rental property with RV campers. After the confrontation with Day at his residence, Day returned to confront Thomas again.
“Thomas was cutting grass at the Canton Drive property when Day drove up on him,” Gann said. “Thomas fled on the lawnmower, going to the closest RV on the property. He jumped off his lawnmower, knocked on the door but no one was home. He was trying to get help, but he had no phone on him to call 911.”
Gann said Day then jumped out of his truck and made his way toward Thomas, who told him he was trespassing.
“Thomas then pulled out a gun and fired two warning shots in between himself and Day,” Gann said. “Day got within three feet of Thomas when Thomas fired another shot.”
The final shot hit Day in the forehead, Gann said.
When medical responders got to the scene, Day was still alive but unresponsive. He was airlifted to the University Medical Center in Jackson.
He was pronounced dead at 4:22 p.m. Monday.
