Cantrell resigns as sheriff 14 days after Mississippi primary

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) -In a surprise move Tuesday, Cecil Cantrell stepped down as the Monroe County sheriff. This just two weeks to the day after losing in the August Primary.

District 1 Supervisor Joseph Richardson said Cantrell turned in his resignation Tuesday.

In the meantime, Chief Deputy Curtis Knight will take over as sheriff until the Board of Supervisors can appoint an interim sheriff.

Richardson said they expect to do so by Friday.

August 6, Kevin Crook beat Cantrell by nearly a thousand votes.

Cantrell would have been in office for the rest of the year.

“You’d think he’d just do the rest of his time. It shocks me that he just up and quit and left an empty spot like that,” said resident Kenny McCann.

The Board of Supervisors has a regular meeting Friday.