In the quiet community of Pearl, Mississippi, a grim discovery was made on Tuesday, June 23, 2015, shattering the peace of the neighborhood. Robert Faries, a 79-year-old male, and his 77-year-old wife, Peggy, were found murdered in their home on Highway 469 North. The couple, who had been married for 57 years and were well-known in the area as the former owners of Faries Printers of Richland, had their lives brought to a violent end.
A family friend made the initial horrific discovery.
After the couple failed to answer their door, the friend walked around to the back of the house and saw Peggy Faries's body through a window, lying in a pool of blood. A family member was then contacted to unlock the residence, leading to the discovery of Robert Faries's body in a bedroom. The nature of their injuries made it immediately apparent to authorities that they had been murdered. The Rankin County Sheriff's Office and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations secured the scene and commenced an investigation into the brutal slayings.
The investigation quickly zeroed in on a suspect close to the victims. Their grandson, 22-year-old Zachary Alexander Stanford of Ocean Springs, was identified as the person of interest. In a turn of events, Stanford was stopped by the Magee Police Department for a traffic violation. During the stop, officers observed blood on his clothing and inside his vehicle, prompting them to contact the Rankin County Sheriff's Office. Rankin County deputies then took Stanford into custody.
During questioning, Zachary Stanford confessed to the murders of his grandparents. A search of his vehicle uncovered bloody clothing, a knife, and a. 22 caliber firearm with a homemade suppressor. Following his confession and the evidence collected, Stanford was charged with two counts of murder. He was subsequently convicted of the first-degree murder of Robert and Peggy Faries and received two life sentences for the heinous crimes.
