Argument Over Bible Verses Leads To Strangulation Death Of Mississippi Man

An argument over Bible verses between two men in Wayne County, Mississippi, last week led to a fistfight that ended in one death, police said.

Sherrod Alexander Laffitte, 32, was pronounced dead at his Waynesboro home on July 7, WDAM 7 reported, citing the Waynesboro Police Department. He was allegedly strangled to death by 41-year-old Samuel McDougle during an argument over Bible verses.

According to police, McDougle surrendered later that night. He was charged with second-degree murder, and his bond was set at $1 million.

Laffitte's body was sent to the nearby city of Jackson for an autopsy, where results confirmed that he had died of strangulation, police said.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Graveside services for Laffitte's body were scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

A similar incident happened last month at a supermarket in Georgia when a man allegedly discharged his weapon inside the premises after getting into a dispute regarding mask wearing, resulting in the death of a cashier and a sheriff's deputy being injured.

Victor Lee Tucker Jr., 30, is facing murder charges and two counts of aggravated assault over the incident that occurred on June 14.

Police said Tucker allegedly got into an argument with the 41-year-old victim, Laquitta Willis, after she asked him to put on a mask. He allegedly fatally shot Willis in the head, shot the deputy, identified as 54-year-old Danny Jordan, and grazed a second cashier with a bullet.

Willis was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Jordan, a reserves deputy, had been providing security at the store during the incident. He was shot multiple times in the incident, but he was able to shoot Tucker several times after the latter opened fire at the cashier.

Two responding officers were able to arrest Tucker as he allegedly attempted to crawl out of the supermarket's front door.

Tucker was taken to Grady Hospital, where he remained for several days before he was booked into the DeKalb County Jail.