Labor Day Murders suspect indicted

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – An update in the 1990 Starkville Labor Day Murders case.

Michael W. Devaughn has been indicted on one count Capital Murder and one count Sexual Battery in the deaths of Betty Jones and Kathryn Crigler.

Devaughn is accused of entering a home belonging to Kathryn Crigler on Labor Day evening in 1990. Her friend, Betty Jones was visiting at the time. Police believe Mrs. Jones answered a knock at the door. That’s when Devaugh allegedly entered the home, killed Mrs. Jones, then went into the bedroom where he sexually assaulted Mrs. Crigler and left her for dead. Mrs. Crigler was actually able to call 911.

Starkville investigators used new resources like ancestry.com and DNA science at Parabon Labs in Virginia and at the Scales DNA lab in Jackson to find Devaughn.

Devaughn’s case now moves to Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. He will be arraigned Wednesday afternoon.