18-year-old charged with murder tied to human remains found by hunter near Mississippi deer camp

Published 1:02 pm Friday, August 18, 2023

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man Thursday on a murder charge tied to human remains that were found last week by a couple of hunters near their deer camp located off of Rodney Road in Lorman.

The Natchez Democrat reports that a news release from JCSO states their investigation led them to 18-year-old Carivontae Nix, who resides on Rodney Road.

When Sheriff Bailey, assisted by deputies and MBI agents, arrived at Nix’s residence, they reportedly found a black Buick Lacrosse that was registered to Michael Joseph Templeton, a 50-year-old male who was missing out of Copiah County, on the property.

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Nix was transported to the sheriff’s office, where he was advised of his rights, questioned, and admitted that the remains found were those of Michael Templeton, the release states.

Nix was taken into custody, booked into the county jail and charged with murder.

He is awaiting his initial court appearance.

Sheriff James Bailey said his department received a call at approximately 6:52 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, from the hunters who first noticed an odor and something that looked like human remains off in a ravine across the road from their camp.

When investigators arrived, they found the remains and noticed part of the body covered under a throw blanket, Bailey said.

He guessed the remains could have been anywhere from three weeks to a month old.

Investigations are ongoing, the sheriff’s office states.