In the early morning hours in Ellisville, Mississippi, a domestic dispute between a boyfriend and girlfriend escalated to a fatal conclusion, leaving a 32-year-old man dead from gunshot wounds. Donnie 'Ray' Bender Jr. was found by ambulance service medics at a residence on Graves Road with gunshot injuries. He was quickly transported to South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, but he did not survive.
The events of that morning led to the arrest of his girlfriend, 46-year-old
Joanna Husband, who is also known as Jonna Husband. An altercation between the couple preceded the shooting. Following the incident, Husband left the residence, at which point she reportedly tripped and fell, breaking her ankle. She was later taken into custody and has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with Bender's death.
During her initial court appearance in Jones County Justice Court, Husband was seen in a wheelchair due to the injury she sustained. A judge set her bond at $250,000. The Jones County Sheriff's Department has characterized the shooting as an isolated incident and has assured the community that there is no ongoing threat to the public. Funeral services for Donnie Bender Jr. were scheduled to be held at Shiloh M.B. Church in Ellisville, with his burial to follow at Benson Cemetery.
