In the quiet town of Hernando, Mississippi, the afternoon of March 7, 1995, took a violent turn, forever altering the community's sense of peace. William Savage, a respected 58-year-old male and manager of a local cotton mill, was working alone in his office. A man known for his dedication to his job of 30 years, his Christian faith, and his active involvement in local affairs, Savage was a familiar and trusted figure in the small town, even counting author John Grisham among his friends.
The tranquility of his day was shattered around 5:00 PM when a young couple, Sarah Edmondson and Benjamin James Darras, both 18, entered his office. Under the guise of asking for directions to Interstate 55, they approached Savage. As he moved from behind his desk to help them, Darras suddenly produced a. 38 caliber revolver and shot Savage in the head. After a brief struggle, Darras fired a second fatal shot. The couple then robbed the dying man, taking two one-hundred dollar bills and his credit cards from his wallet before fleeing the scene. Savage's body was later discovered by an insurance salesman making a routine call.
The murder of William Savage was not an isolated act of violence but the beginning of a crime spree allegedly inspired by the movie 'Natural Born Killers,' which the couple had watched repeatedly. After leaving Hernando, Edmondson and Darras traveled to Ponchatoula, Louisiana. There, in another act of senseless violence, Edmondson shot Patsy Byers, a convenience store clerk, who was left paralyzed from the attack. The crime spree eventually came to an end with their capture.
Following their arrests, the legal process unfolded. Benjamin James Darras pleaded guilty to the murder of William Savage and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. For the shooting of Patsy Byers, he received an additional 35-year sentence. Sarah Edmondson pleaded guilty to her role in the crimes, including the attempted murder of Byers, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. She was reportedly released on parole in 2010. The case drew significant media attention, not only for the brutal nature of the crimes but also for the lawsuit filed by Patsy Byers against the filmmakers of 'Natural Born Killers,' alleging the movie incited the violence. This lawsuit was ultimately dismissed.
