On a September morning in 1988, Panola County Deputy Sheriff Joe Kenneth Cosby, a 47-year-old male, was tasked with a routine prisoner transport. He traveled to the Tunica County jail to pick up 20-year-old Jerry Wayne Mettetal, who was being held on charges of murdering his grandmother, and transport him back to the Panola County Courthouse in Batesville for a court appearance.
Cosby, who had known Mettetal previously, allowed the young man to ride in the front seat of the patrol car without handcuffs.
Unbeknownst to the veteran officer of 13 years, Mettetal had been plotting his escape. While incarcerated, he had sharpened a toothbrush on the concrete walls of his cell. As Deputy Cosby drove along U.S. 51, just north of Batesville, the two engaged in conversation about Mettetal's family. Seizing a moment when Cosby was distracted, Mettetal attacked, striking the deputy in the throat with the sharpened toothbrush. A struggle for control of the vehicle and the deputy's service weapon ensued, causing the patrol car to veer off the highway and into a cotton field.
During the struggle inside the car, Deputy Cosby's handgun was discharged. Mettetal gained control of the weapon and shot the deputy. Despite Cosby's pleas, Mettetal fired again. A passerby later discovered the patrol car 20 yards off the road and found the wounded deputy inside. Emergency services were called, and Cosby was rushed to the local hospital, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. He was survived by his wife and two daughters.
A massive manhunt was launched to apprehend Mettetal, involving numerous local and state law enforcement agencies. Mettetal was subsequently captured and indicted for the capital murder of Deputy Sheriff Joe Kenneth Cosby. Following a trial, a jury found Jerry Wayne Mettetal guilty of capital murder. While the jury could not reach a unanimous decision on the death penalty, Mettetal was sentenced to life in prison. He was ultimately given three life sentences for the murder of the officer.
