Oxford murder suspect held on $1 million bond
Aug. 23—OXFORD — A Panola County man is being held on a $1 million bond, accused of killing an Oxford man early Saturday morning.
Keith Lamont Harmon Jr., 19, of Batesville, was carried before a Lafayette County Justice Court Judge Sunday and formally charged with first degree murder in the death of John Adams, 24, of Oxford. During that initial court appearance his bond was set at $1 million.
Oxford police responded to The Links apartments on the west side of town at 2:05 a.m. on Aug. 21 for a report that someone had been shot. Witnesses were able to describe the suspect's vehicle and that information was released to surrounding law enforcement. Minutes later, the vehicle was stopped by the Batesville Police Department and the Panola County Sheriff's Department. Harmon and another person in the car were detained as persons of interest and transported back to Oxford.
Adams was initially taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital — North Mississippi, where emergency personnel were able to stabilize him. He was later transported to the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo for additional medical care. He was pronounced dead around 6 a.m
"Over the past few weeks our local law enforcement officers have been meeting with other local, state and federal agencies to work to combat the growing violence in our areas," said Oxford Police Chief Jeff McCutchen. "Oxford is a safe community and we are committed to keeping it that way.
"If you come to Oxford to harm and victimize our community rest assured that we will pour every resource and every ounce of our energy we have to finding you and prosecuting you to the fullest extent of the law."
Chief McCutchen said the victim had just graduated in May from the University of Mississippi with a degree in mechanical engineering.
"This is a tragic event that cut a young promising life short and altered a family forever," McCutchen said. "To the Adams family, our hearts and prayers are with you all."
