Obituaries: Tara Thompson Pearson, Sabine Parish P-625 Source: Sabine Index, Many, La., Mar 22, 1979 Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck carlrad@earthlink.net ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Tara Thompson Pearson The local community remains saddened and shocked as an extensive investigation into the murder of Tara Thompson Pearson continues. Her estranged husband is jailed on 1st degree murder charges. Heading the investigation is Many Chief of Police Dean Lambert. Working in conjunction with Chief Lambert are deputies of the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Dept. The tragedy unfolded at 6:35 a.m., Friday, March 16, when Morris Varnado of Many discovered the victim's body laying on Alabama Ave., near the Delta Gas Station. According to Chief Lambert, the body of Tara Pearson was laying 137 paces up the street, which is just off the Springbrook bypass. The body was fully clothed. Personal items, including eye shadow, a Libby bank card, a Miller baseball cap, and 51 cents in change were discovered near the body. Also near the body were several unopened bottles of beer. Dr. W. W. Poimboeuf, Sabine Parish Coroner, was called to the scene. After arriving, he released the body to Jenkins Ambulance Service. The body was transported to Bossier City, where Dr. George M. McCormick performed an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Although the written autopsy report has not been received, Chief Lambert stated that Mrs. Pearson died from a massive hemorrhage caused by chest wounds. She was apparently stabbed. After the victim was discovered, attempts were made to contact her estranged husband, James Dale Pearson, 23, of Many. Mrs. Peason had obtained two warrants for misdemeanor charges against her estranged husband, earlier in the week, and was in the process of obtaining another. The warrants stemmed from an incident on March 2. Chief Lambert pointed out that both Pearson and his wife were in his office late Wednesday evening. It was agreeable to all involved that Pearson would make bond on all three warrants, when the last was received by the City Police. At this time, Chief Lambert said, Pearson indicated that he was going to obtain a warrant for his wife also. Parson's light green 1979 Camaro Z-28 was found parked at his mobile home residence at the end of Gandy Lane, early Friday morning. Chief Lambert obtained a search warrant for the trailer, and local law enforcement officials began the search. At 7:52 a.m., the 1979 maroon Monte Carlo belonging to Mrs. Pearson was discovered in the parking lot of the Sabine State Bank. The car was parked at the curb in front of the Libby machine. As the search for Pearson intensified, the victim's vehicle was towed to the Sheriff's Dept. by Tabor's Wrecker Service. Officer Ted DeLacerda began searching the vehicle. An all night rain had soaked portions of the upholstery in the vehicle. After the car dried, fingerprints were lifted from various points. The Monte Carlo was loaded with clothing and other personal items belonging to Mrs. Pearson and her friend, Patti Peterson McCormic. A sum of money was also discovered in the victim's vehicle. The girls had been burned out of their Fort Jesup home on March 7. They were in the process of moving to Fisher. As Officer DeLacerda proceeded in his investigation, Pearson's car was towed to the City Police Station for search. Chief Lambert talked to Pearson's relatives and discovered that he had left town about 7 a.m. that morning. He was traveling in a 1975 Ford Courier pickup owned by his brother-in-law. At this time an all points bulletin was released for his arrest in connection with the case. As the investigation continued throughout the morning and afternoon, Chief Lambert discovered that Night Dispatcher R. B. McDonald had received a call concerning a disturbance the night before, in the vicinity where the body was found. A call from an unidentified female alerted local officers of a fight behind the Delta Station at 11:23 p.m. The complaint report stated the caller said "There is someone beating a woman to death on Springbrook, behind the Delta Station". Officer Jimmy Pleasant, who was on duty at the time, patrolled in the area, but was unable to find anything. Since the caller failed to identify herself, it was impossible to gather any more information on the incident. The discovery of Mrs. Pearson's body the next morning, led officers to believe that her death and the incident were related. At 10:40 p.m., Friday night, local authorities received a call from Lt. Bob Harrison of the Texarkana, Ark. Police Dept. The Courier truck had been located at a Rodeway Inn. Within an hour, in Texarkana, authorities had arrested Pearson on a warrant issued by the Many City Police Dept. Pearson waived extradition, and was returned to Sabine Parish Saturday afternoon, March 17. Traveling to Arkansas were Chief Lambert, and Chief Detective John Rainer of the Sabine Parish Sheriff's Dept. Also accompanying the officers were Monte Davis, Pearson's brother-in-law, and Dave Pearson, his brother. According to Chief Lambert, Pearson had checked into the motel at 11:30 a.m., Friday morning. He didn't resist the arresting officers. After arriving at the Sheriff's Dept. Pearson was given the opportunity to contact a lawyer. He was counseled by local attorney Don Burkett, who was handling his divorce case from Mrs. Pearson. The couple separated in December. During counsel with Burkett, Pearson was said to have become ill. He was transferred to Fraser Hospital North, and admitted. He was placed under guard during his three day stay. He was released back to the parish jail at 10 a.m., Tuesday morning, March 20. Hundreds of man hours have been devoted to the case thus far. "It's not over yet", Chief Lambert stated. The investigation is continuing.