Obituaries: Sammy Mitchell, Jr., Sabine, Natchitoches Parish M-324 Source: Sabine Index, Many, La., Sep 18, 1975 Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck carlrad@earthlink.net ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Sammy Mitchell, Jr. Chester Terrell Durr, 26, of Marthaville is being held in the Sabine Parish Jail on a murder charge, following the fatal shooting of Sammy Mitchell Jr., 28, of the Friendship community, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 8:30 p.m. The incident occurred on a country road off Highway 175, 1 1/2 miles north of Belmont. Also injured in the shooting was Durr's wife, Martha Durr of Marthaville. She is presently in a Shreveport hospital. Her condition is unknown. The shooting took place near a well lit chicken house owned by Charles Bullard. Mitchell, who was a crew foreman for J-M Poultry of Many, was working in a chicken house shortly before the incident. According to Sabine Parish Sheriff George R. Cook, Mrs. Durr had met Mitchell, and was sitting in his truck talking. Another woman, Janet Moran and her small daughter, of Robeline, had taken Mrs. Durr to the scene earlier in the evening. The four were sitting in Mitchell's truck, when Mrs. Durr's husband, Chester Terrell Durr, drove up and approached them. According to Miss Moran, Durr asked his wife if she was going home with him. Mrs. Durr replied negatively, and Durr allegedly drew a .25 automatic from his pocket and began shooting into the truck. The Durrs had been separated for three days, following an argument, according to reports. The witness explained that Durr aimed the automatic into the truck, and shot past her and her child. The shots hit Mitchell and the Durr woman several times. According to Sheriff Cook, "We have three spent bullets in our possession now." Sheriff Cook verified reports that Mitchell had been hit twice. Evidence also shows that one bullet was lodged in the driver's side of the truck door. Blood was splattered around the bullet hole. It has not been determined if the bullet in the door also struck Mitchell. Mrs. Durr was hit several times also, according to law enforcement officers. Following the incident, Durr left in his own truck, by himself, and drove to his father-in-law's home in Marthaville, where he contacted the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Department and turned himself in. Natchitoches Parish deputies went to the residence of Harold Dahl, and arrested Durr. Sabine Parish deputies met the Natchitoches patrol car at the parish line, where they remanded Durr into custody. He was transferred to the Sabine Parish Jail, and booked on a first degree murder charge. The Sheriff's Department was first notified of the shooting by Willie Mitchell, bother of the dead man. Several chicken catchers, who were working near the scene, radioed their headquarters at J-M Poultry, and advised that the Sheriff's Department be contacted. When deputies arrived at the scene, Mitchell's body was sprawled by the driver's side of the truck. A cup of coffee, which he had been drinking, was next to his body. Mrs. Durr had already been rushed to the Pleasant Hill Hospital for emergency treatment. Later in the evening, she was taken to Natchitoches General Hospital, prior to being transferred to Shreveport. Deputy Sabine Coroner, Dr. V. M. John, pronounced Mitchell dead at the scene. The Sheriff's Department, along with members of the Zwolle City Police, headed by Chief Quinton Brandon, and the Pleasant Hill Police Department, headed by Chief Willie Cobbs, and Natchitoches Parish deputies were at the scene of the shooting. The Sabine Parish Sheriff's Department, headed by Sheriff Cook, conducted an investigation for more than two hours, following the shooting.