Man arrested for murdering his niece after on-going family dispute ends in violent argument at West Point home

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI) – A series of confrontations between a woman and her uncle allegedly ended in murder at a West Point home on Monday afternoon.

“It’s a very sad situation for the family,” said Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott. “You’ve got two family members so right now the whole family is in shock.”

The murder happened at a house on White Station Road just off of Hazlewood Road. Sheriff Scott says that 60-year-old Darryl Larry was allegedly arguing with his 27-year-old niece Summer Larry when the argument escalated to violence that left Summer dead while Darryl allegedly fled the scene.

“Arguments that happen on a regular basis from what we’re being told that we learned in an investigation,” the sheriff said. “At some point yesterday, it all just came to a head.”

It was hours before Summers body was discovered.

“Right after the five o’clock hour yesterday afternoon, a family member had returned home and discovered the body, and immediately called 911,” Sheriff Scott said.

Summer was pronounced dead just before 6 p.m. The preliminary cause of death is blunt force trauma.

“We got an idea, but right now we’re trying to confirm what the murder weapon was,” Sheriff Scott said.

Darryl was arrested Monday evening.

“Community members got involved last night and helped us locate Mr. Larry and, matter of fact, they actually brought him back to us down at the scene,” Sheriff Scott said.

Darryl was arraigned in Clay County Justice Court Tuesday afternoon and his bond is set at $1 million. Sheriff Scott says he is cooperating with the investigation at this time.

“Being able to get our hands on [a suspect] pretty quickly and get them contained, it means a whole lot to the case and the community as a whole,” the sheriff said.

Investigators are still working to determine a motive. The sheriff’s office says Summer’s body has been taken to the Mississippi Crime Lab for an autopsy.