12-18-2014, 01:28 AM
Jessica Chambers' father said Wednesday he wants whoever killed his daughter in solitary confinement when he or she is found and convicted.
Ben Chambers also made a vow."
"I promise as long as I have breath in me, I can talk to people and make sure they're not comfortable in there," Ben Chambers said.
Jessica Chambers, 19, was found on Herron Road in Courtland a little after 8 p.m. Dec. 6, walking away from her burning vehicle with burns over 98 percent of her body. Coroner Gracie Gulledge said the cause of the young woman's death was thermal injury. Officials immediately classified it as a homicide.
Ben Chambers, who works for the Panola County Sheriff's Department but is not a law enforcement officer, said the family has received support from all over the world.
"Everybody's supportive," he said. "And there are people calling us from other towns saying even their lowest dope dealer and troublemaker is trying to find out who did it. Everybody's angry about this."
"I heard that if they find out who it is, that they definitely will do something about it," he said, but he didn't know the name of the group.
The support is helping, but Jessica Chambers' family is still in utter shock.
"We don't really even know how to go about healing," Ben Chambers said. "Everyone I look at, I'm wondering, 'Do you have anything to do with it?'"
The autopsy is complete, but officials are tight-lipped on what it adds to the case.
"We know what happened to her," said District Attorney John Champion. "We're not going to comment on that."
The final results of the autopsy might not be available for about six weeks, Champion said, but officials have what they need to know what happened to the teen before her death earlier this month.
Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby has said that officials feel each day like they have a new lead to follow. Media reports have discussed various people who allegedly have been cleared, but investigators won't comment on specific witnesses and suspects.
"We're still just out there talking to people and going through everything," said Champion. "We've got a wealth of information, and we're checking on every lead."
Chambers told the first name of her attacker to Courtland Fire Chief Cole Haley before she was flown by medical helicopter the Memphis hospital where she died. A Memphis television station has reported that a man interviewed by police said he was told Chambers had said the name Eric or Derrick.
"Not at all," said Champion when asked if he could comment on the names.
"I didn't even know she had any enemies. To the person that done this: They're coming for you. They're working day and night, day and night, away from their own families," Ben Chambers said.
"People I work with that usually take time off at this time of year to be with their family or go deer hunting, now they're not doing that because they have to find this evil person. This hasn't just messed up my life. It's messed up everyone's life."
He also had a message for the people who have sent messages of support.
"I just want to thank people for what they've done and their prayers and the passion they've got for me and my family," he said.
Ben Chambers said he's also falling back on his faith in God. He said it's hard, day-to-day, but it gets him through to believe there's a bigger picture.
"It's hard to believe this is for a reason," he said. "But I know something good has to come out of this. I know the Lord has some plan for something. It's the whole community, the whole world coming together. I believe something good has to end up coming from this."
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/.../20543785/
Ben Chambers also made a vow."
"I promise as long as I have breath in me, I can talk to people and make sure they're not comfortable in there," Ben Chambers said.
Jessica Chambers, 19, was found on Herron Road in Courtland a little after 8 p.m. Dec. 6, walking away from her burning vehicle with burns over 98 percent of her body. Coroner Gracie Gulledge said the cause of the young woman's death was thermal injury. Officials immediately classified it as a homicide.
Ben Chambers, who works for the Panola County Sheriff's Department but is not a law enforcement officer, said the family has received support from all over the world.
"Everybody's supportive," he said. "And there are people calling us from other towns saying even their lowest dope dealer and troublemaker is trying to find out who did it. Everybody's angry about this."
"I heard that if they find out who it is, that they definitely will do something about it," he said, but he didn't know the name of the group.
The support is helping, but Jessica Chambers' family is still in utter shock.
"We don't really even know how to go about healing," Ben Chambers said. "Everyone I look at, I'm wondering, 'Do you have anything to do with it?'"
The autopsy is complete, but officials are tight-lipped on what it adds to the case.
"We know what happened to her," said District Attorney John Champion. "We're not going to comment on that."
The final results of the autopsy might not be available for about six weeks, Champion said, but officials have what they need to know what happened to the teen before her death earlier this month.
Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby has said that officials feel each day like they have a new lead to follow. Media reports have discussed various people who allegedly have been cleared, but investigators won't comment on specific witnesses and suspects.
"We're still just out there talking to people and going through everything," said Champion. "We've got a wealth of information, and we're checking on every lead."
Chambers told the first name of her attacker to Courtland Fire Chief Cole Haley before she was flown by medical helicopter the Memphis hospital where she died. A Memphis television station has reported that a man interviewed by police said he was told Chambers had said the name Eric or Derrick.
"Not at all," said Champion when asked if he could comment on the names.
"I didn't even know she had any enemies. To the person that done this: They're coming for you. They're working day and night, day and night, away from their own families," Ben Chambers said.
"People I work with that usually take time off at this time of year to be with their family or go deer hunting, now they're not doing that because they have to find this evil person. This hasn't just messed up my life. It's messed up everyone's life."
He also had a message for the people who have sent messages of support.
"I just want to thank people for what they've done and their prayers and the passion they've got for me and my family," he said.
Ben Chambers said he's also falling back on his faith in God. He said it's hard, day-to-day, but it gets him through to believe there's a bigger picture.
"It's hard to believe this is for a reason," he said. "But I know something good has to come out of this. I know the Lord has some plan for something. It's the whole community, the whole world coming together. I believe something good has to end up coming from this."
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/.../20543785/