Batesville recorded its first homicide of 2025 on the evening of February 1 when 39-year-old Jamarlin Ladd of Courtland was shot in the 100 block of Ozbirn Street. Officers responding to gunfire just after 7 p.m. found a gravely wounded man on a lawn; he was taken to Panola Health and later died there.

Investigators say the shooting was not random and appears to have followed an argument among people who knew each other and may have a history of conflicts. In the days after the killing police announced they had identified a suspect and said an arrest was expected; the investigation is ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence and speak with witnesses.

If anyone has information about the dispute or saw activity in the 100 block of Ozbirn Street that night, please come forward.