Two individuals connected to a missing persons investigation in Colorado were apprehended Monday in Pearl River County, Mississippi, following a coordinated search by local law enforcement.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado identified Johnny Rankin Morris, 46, and Hailey Diane Cole, 43, as persons of interest in a missing persons case. Investigators discovered both have familial ties to Pearl River County.

Acting on information provided by Colorado authorities and leads from local residents, the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office began searching areas associated with Morris and Cole.

On Dec. 30, 2024, at approximately 8:15 a.m., a resident reported a white male matching Morris’s description attempting to break into her vehicle. Deputies from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office and officers from the Picayune Police Department responded and conducted a systematic search of the area.

At approximately 9:00 a.m., Morris and Cole were located camping in a shed and taken into custody without incident.

Both were transported to the Pearl River County jail and charged with:

• Mississippi Department of Corrections: Failure to appear.
• Lamar County, MS: Receiving stolen property.
• Wiggins, MS: Contempt of court for failure to appear.

Local investigations resulted in additional charges for commercial burglary and attempted residential burglary.

The Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating with Colorado law enforcement as the investigation continues. Sheriff David Allison acknowledged the efforts of his deputies and the Picayune Police Department in conducting the search and apprehension.