PICAYUNE — Two deaths were reported over the weekend, one involved a man accidentally shooting himself with a loaded gun, while the second involved a woman who is believed to have died of natural causes days before she was found.
The shooting took place on Saturday and the woman was found on Saturday.
In the Nicholson area, Berkley Polland Jr., 34, was with family when he allegedly was displaying a handgun. Pearl River County Coroner Derek Turnage said his family asked him to put the gun away. Instead he declared the gun was not loaded, took the magazine out of the gun and pointed the gun to his head. When he pulled the trigger there was still a round in the chamber and the gun went off, killing him.
Turnage said the autopsy confirmed the account of the incident, declaring Polland’s cause of death to be accidental.
Pearl River County Chief Investigator Donnie Saucier said the department was called at about 8 p.m. and responded with AAA Ambulance personnel to find Polland unresponsive and was declared dead on scene. Investigators Sgt. Christa Groom and Crime Scene Investigator James Buie processed the scene and interviews were conducted.
The information collected in the investigation showed that it was an accidental shooting and drugs and alcohol are believed to be involved. Saucier said whether drugs and alcohol were actually involved will be determined through toxicology analysis.
Further investigation shows the gun involved was stolen from another person in Pearl River County, Saucier said.
The body of 61 year-old Madeline Schrader was found at her home, 1376 Gumpond Beal Rd., Turnage said. Saucier said the department got the call about Schrader on Saturday as well. Apparently family of Schrader, who live out of town, were concerned about her after they lost touch with her. They called a neighbor w whom they to check on her. When the neighbor got to the door, a strong smell of decay was detected and the neighbor could see Schrader’s body sitting in a chair through a window.
The neighbor called 911 and deputies and EMT personnel responded.
“Until we get an autopsy we won’t have a cause of death ,but everything is pointing to a natural cause of death,” Saucier said.
Turnage said her estimated date of death was Nov. 10. He said while her cause of death appears to be due to natural causes, an autopsy has been ordered.
Local News
Deputies investigate two deaths over weekend
- Local News
-
-
PMHS GRADUATION
Picayune Memorial High School held its graduation ceremony Thursday night where the school’s valedictorian Jared Christopher Bates, left, and salutatorian Bryce Austin Warden gave their speeches.
-
POPLARVILLE GRADUATION
Poplarville High School held its graduation ceremony Thursday night where the school’s valedictorian Rebecca Starke, left, and salutatorian Meagan Whitworth gave their speeches to the graduating class, parents and friends.
-
Local man paralyzed by juvenile shooting
Medical personnel were teaching a local man how to swallow again on Saturday after his spinal cord was severed by a .22 caliber bullet, fired by one of three juveniles, on Thursday.
-
Potential bridge replacement fund shortage draws discussion
Despite a lengthy agenda for Pearl River County supervisors Wednesday the board handled many of the items with a straight up and down 5-0 vote.
-
Glade Woods dies
Funeral services for Earl Glade Woods , 75 of Picayune, are Monday at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Church of Picayune. Woods passed away on Friday.
-
MHP on patrol for holiday
Even though there has been a remarkable reduction in the number of fatalities in Mississippi over the past seven years, last year’s Memorial Day Weekend was particularly deadly.
-
POLICE MEMORIAL
City employees were out at the Picayune Police Department memorial Thursday morning doing some upgrades to it.
-
ACCIDENT
ACCIDENT — Emergency personnel responded to this accident Thursday morning on South Haugh Avenue.
-
Supervisors support sales tax proposal
The Pearl River County Board of Supervisors unanimously supports District 1 Supervisor Anthony Hales proposal for a 1-percent county sales tax.
Hales had outlined his proposal at two earlier meetings of the board of supervisors and the other four members voiced their support for the idea at Wednesday’s meeting. -
Lawrence sentenced to 57 months for child porn
Picayune native Clifford Lawrence has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for possession of child pornography.
- More Local News Headlines
-
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
