No new information has been released by officials in Courtland, Mississippi, regarding the investigation into the December 6th murder of Jessica Lane Chambers. However, the social media chatter has picked up extensively since District Attorney John Champion announced the timeline of Ms. Chamber’s activity on the day she was killed.
It is the community discussion around the missing hour of 6:30pm to 7:31pm which has brought clarity to events leading up to the tragic night she was killed.
For a person who is new to the entire case much of what is going on might seem disjointed, disconnected or rather innocuous. However, for those people who have followed the case, and the severely bizarre investigative practices within it, there is actually a clarity emerging.
A clarity which may even explain the bizarre statements of the chief investigator, DA John Champion.
From literally the first day – Panola County Sheriff Dennis Darby, and DA John Champion, have been claiming an unusual silence amid the “street talk” as they call it. Repeatedly both Darby and Champion have said the silence amid the small town of less than 500 residents was worrisome.
When DA Champion released the timeline last month he stated investigators had interviewed over 120 people and yet the absence of “street talk” remained one of the more perplexing aspects. This continual claim being spoken so reflexively began to raise suspicion of intent.
Was there a specific reason Champion was continuing to make this claim of silence? Was this claim factually correct, or is it part of a deflective cover needed to pull the murderer from the shadows into the sunlight.
In essence was/is Champion trying to make the killer feel comfortable or confident; and as a consequence, more likely to slip up?
Only those close to the investigation would know for sure.
However, given the latest admissions -by people of various degrees of consequence to the events of December 6th, and with the full understanding that concern for witness safety has surfaced as a paramount issue- a strong possibility exists.
It is with great sensitivity we have approached the known activity, behavior and associations of 19-year-old Jessica Chambers in the months prior to her death.
Regardless of her conduct, like all other similar murder victims, her memory deserves a genuine amount of respect and consideration. However, discussion must also accept reality of behavior without disposition toward judgment of it.
As the weeks have lengthened it has become more clear that Jessica Chambers engaged in some lifestyle and behavior risks. From the outside looking in it is easy to hastily judge her choices and decisions. However, for the sake of actually finding her killer – one must set aside judgment and approach with an keen sense of acceptance.
Jessica was known to have used various illegal narcotics beyond the more common teenage marijuana use. Those within her larger social circle admit and acknowledge her use of pills, tabs, meth and, on occasion, crack cocaine. She would not be generally described as a hardcore user, or addict, however she did frequently engage. It appears her use was generally within a social circle or with friends. But it is also generally accepted – she used alone.
In addition much like many other similarly engaged and attractive young women, she would sell sex as a source of financing her purchases. It may be a disconcerting reality to accept, but there is enough evidence -enough people with the same experience- to substantiate both the drug use and lifestyle choices.
An affirmation of sorts comes from a person in direct knowledge of Jessica who affirms Jess was trying to trade four Lortabs for $20 crack cocaine on the very day she was killed.
Once these ‘at risk behaviors’ are understood – the claims leading up to and surrounding her death begin to make more sense.
What follows below is the general story as it has played out over several recent weeks via a close geographic social circle. It should be noted that no-one outlined is officially identified as a person of interest, or suspect – nor are we making the claim as such.
Our research indicates this information is just as well known to investigators as it is to us; and now will be to you. Our efforts are to connect the disparate discussions into the general storyline as it is openly unfolding via social media.
Perhaps sunlight can provide a greater understanding.
On June 2nd 2014 Jessica had an altercation with her mom, Lisa Daugherty (Chambers). Described as a “simple assault” eventually this altercation led to Jessica going into an informal diversionary program, agreed by her family, at a place called Leah’s House. This is not a new revelation, we have discussed this before.
However, prior to that altercation with Lisa Daugherty, Jessica and her then boyfriend, Travis “Travo” Sanford, had a run-in with a rather seedy Courtland character named Roger Hentz, age 53.
As the story is told:
Jessica Chambers had arranged a prescription drug sale to Hentz for ¹approximately 100 Lortab pills. Lortabs are a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. They are generally prescribed by doctors for pain relief. On the street the Lortabs have a value of $5 each, which put the arranged deal at around $500.
[¹Scripts are usually written and filled for 90 to 120 pills. (90 = 3x daily 8/hours) (120 = 4x daily 6/hrs) the strength of the dosage generally determines the daily dose prescribed – which in turn changes the number of pills for average script – link]
It is currently assumed that Jessica was introduced to Roger Hentz through Charlotte Wilkerson, aka “Auntie Sha-Sha” who knows both Roger and his girlfriend, Annette Hill.
It is not exactly clear who was to provide the pills, either Jessica or Travis “Travo” Sanford. However, what is clear is the pills Jessica and Travo brought to the deal were not actually the pharmaceutical “Lortabs”, they were fakes.
Two different people confirm the fake pills were OTC products gained from Freds Pharmacy in Batesville (475 Highway 6E, Batesville), either purchased or stolen. It is claimed Jessica and Travo attempted to pass off the OTC pills as Lortabs and Roger Hentz became suspicious of them.
A reluctant Roger Hentz was forced to accept the deal by Travo.
How Roger was “forced” is an unknown variable. However, the total amount of money exchanged was reduced as a consequence of the suspicion the pills were fake. Travo and Jessica reportedly left with approximately $400.
It is claimed within the networked community that Roger Hentz and Annette Hill were furious they had been ripped off. Shortly before Jessica went to Leah’s House – Jessica was angrily and publically confronted by Roger’s girlfriend, Annette.
After Jessica left Leah’s House (late August 2014), Travo was in jail for another incident, when Jessica was again confronted by Roger and Annette at M&M First Stop Gas station.
During this encounter Jessica was threatened with a hammer – again publically.
There were at least two more violent confrontations witnessed by independent people between the M&M Gas station event, and the night Jessica was murdered.
In addition, Lisa Daugherty confirmed publically and to investigators that Roger Hentz and/or Annette Hill had angrily come to her house looking for Jessica, making threats and demanding restitution.
If you count the visit to Jessica’s home, there are at least five independently witnessed events where either Roger, Annette, or both together, were threatening or intimidating Jessica Chambers.
DA Champion admitted there was a physical assault at M&M Gas Station during one of the media interviews. Station owner, Ali Alsanai, aka Ali Fadhel, aka Basem Alsanai, also appeared in local media and confirmed his knowledge of the attack. However, at the time of this initial media report by Champion (confirmation by Ali) the name of the attacker was unknown.
It is now presumed this previously mentioned incident at M&M was with Roger Hentz.
No-one in the Courtland community want’s to be on the wrong side of Roger Hentz, and when you understand his history -and the history of his longstanding family- you begin to understand why the community fear him.
Both Roger Hentz and his brother, Larry Hentz, have a long history of violence which includes theft, drug manufacture, arson and even murder. One of their joint cases is outlined exhaustively in the 1996 appeal filed by Larry – SEE HERE.
Currently Larry Hentz is in a maximum security federal penitentiary, charged with murder – he escaped from another facility previously and was recaptured. To say the family threads are “Sketchy” would be the understatement of the year:
“My husband and I found some pretty shocking things when we cleaned her stuff out of our storage – books about how to kill people and how to make bombs. – LINK –
The Hentz family has deep roots within the Courtland Mississippi area dating back several generations. Rebecca Hentz pleaded guilty in 2000 to attempting to manufacture methamphetamine, a felony. She was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment with all 30 years suspended. She applied for and was granted a complete and unconditional pardon by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour in 2012.
Roger Hentz and Jessica Chambers father, Ben Chambers, were similarly both convicted of methamphetamine manufacture in the same area. However, Roger Hentz has a more extensive history of additional illegal behavior including arson:
From BRISCOE Appellate case […] In November 1981, Rosa Briscoe and Dot Moore opened The Hired Hand, a western wear store in Batesville, Mississippi. Bill Morrow, a long-time acquaintance of Briscoe, helped Briscoe and Moore in the opening and initial operation of the business. Later, Briscoe told Morrow that she was dissatisfied with her partner and wished to terminate the partnership. Around February 1, 1982, she told Morrow “the store needs to burn and it needs help.” She then asked Morrow to find an arsonist for her.
Morrow was to receive fifty percent of the overpayment from the insurance company for his participation in the arson scheme. Morrow then found Larry Hentz, who offered his services as an arsonist for $5,000. Although Briscoe objected to this high fee, she told Morrow to proceed.
[…] Hentz instructed Briscoe to telephone the store. After she dialed the store telephone number, he said “that’s good … just put the phone back on the receiver and don’t dial it again.” Morrow observed that Hentz had taken some sandpaper and taped it to the telephone bell and had taped two large kitchen matches to the striker on the telephone so that they would hit the sandpaper when the telephone in the store rang. Morrow also saw Harden place a pipe wrench on the gas pipes; Hentz then instructed Morrow, Briscoe and Harden not to strike any matches and to refrain from smoking. (continue reading)
“Laney” – It was in the same era as this Roger Hentz arson case when Ben Chambers Sr. shot and killed his own brother Lester “Laney” Dempsey.
Yes, it is accurate to say that Jessica’s middle name comes from her uncle who was killed by her father – the details of that family conflict, accident or murder, depend on who is telling the story.
As often the case in small towns it can be challenging to identify the facts within local lore. Generally those skeletons remain locked and only whispered amid the community depending on the gathering.
By now you are probably beginning to see the construct of at least this part of the local network. You can also see how the Hentz family, and more specifically Roger Hentz, carries a rather vast influence.
An intimidating influence.
The question quickly becomes was the murder of Jessica Chambers related to her and Travo double-crossing Roger Hentz and Annette Hill?
It would certainly appear that Jessica was held accountable for the fake Lortabs and subsequent rip-off.
Actually, with Travis “Travo” Sanford in jail it would appear Jessica was the only one who could be held accountable.
Does this explain the consistent issue raised about people being worried to come forward? Was this motive what was referenced by Charlotte “Sha-Sha” Wilkerson when she mentioned “they went too far“?
Was “they” actually Roger and Annette, or Roger and another?
Was Jessica going to have to pay Roger Hentz back in other ways, and something went wrong?… Was this ‘leverage’ what convinced Jessica to arrange a meeting, or made her reluctantly willing to go somewhere?
There are just as many questions as there are reconcilable answers. Obviously, the local, State and Federal investigators also know this information…. and yet.
The well known Jessica local circle of Charlotte Wilkerson, Boone Mister, Pat Mister and Denise Tutor, Ali Alsanai, The Rudds and The Sanfords et al would also know about Roger Hentz.
A person might reconcile the aforementioned unwillingness to discuss given the potential for intimidation…. or worse.
If you accept this narrative as generally accurate, then you might also see how unfortunately this reality also provides a rather extensive list of possibilities for reasonable doubt in a courtroom.
It would appear that Champion’s efforts are aimed exclusively toward a circumstantial case, and this story/outline does indeed provide a motive.
However, even if Roger Hentz is a subject of interest – the story itself provides a large number of alternative possibilities; and within each of those possibilities you can easily construct a basis for very reasonable doubt.
At the very least it’s fair to say the Hentz’s have a rather profound understanding of the criminal justice system in Mississippi.
Perhaps Jessica Lane Chambers death will ironically find a similar disposition to that of her namesake, her uncle “Laney“. One of those local death stories attached to the reputation of a local resident…..
….through whispers.
