Mrs. Sherry was shot four times in the head by the same .22-caliber pistol, authorities said. Gillich was the chief prosecution witness when Halat, Sherry's former law partner and three others were convicted in 1997. My dad protected me from all the court dates and drama as best as he could to protect me. He appears frail and often dozes during testimony. "To those who supported us -- and there are so many -- words are inadequate to express the depth of our gratitude. The echos of this Dixie Mafia inspired hit still reverberate across the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans to this day. Mike Gillich Jr., a former owner of striptease lounges in Biloxi who became a government witness, was released from prison in July 2000 after serving nine years for his role in the conspiracy. One access was with Lara Sharpe who borrowed money on at least one occasion and told Nix who decided she did not need to enter the box. Anite Lee with said I like see post something back to me. But, more than simply viewing their criminal defense work as just a job, Pete Halat and Vince Sherry seemed to move comfortably among the figures of Biloxis shadowy underworld. Local Dixie Mafia Kingpin Mike Gillich was able to politically eliminate his flesh trade competitors on the Biloxi strip, where his strip clubs blended in nicely with the local whorehouse. Nix ordered the hit from prison after Halat, his co-conspirator, took hundreds of thousands of dollars from him and blamed it on Vincent. But after Mr. Armistead's visit, Mr. Fabian not only talked with the authorities, he also sought out a television reporter who interviewed him in prison. The truth is going to be told. Margaret, clad only in her underwear in her bedroom, came out to investigate, and she, too, was cut down and left to die. There is only one way I know someone with the caseload of Mr. Sherry can get to be a Judge. Nix was the former leader of the Dixie Mafia known for participating in some of the groups most high profile killings, even after his imprisonment. And Lynn, I totally believe you are right- The money was taken by Pete Halat- I tried contacting you many times with the new information concerning the murders of your mom and dad. It was high priced defense to say the least and one which came with results promised before the legal fee was paid. . You will also find information about the World Chess Championship - including game mode and prize money. If possible, please provide information about who will be the casters and whether the stream will have the live feed of Carlsen and Nepo. Ms. Sharpe and Mr. The murders were set up by Biloxi striptease lounge owner Mike Gillich Jr., a friend to Halat and Sherry, and a longtime acquaintance of the Louisiana inmates. a 12-year sentence for manslaughter at a Hardwick, Ga., prison. Last point: DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO STOLE NIXS $100,000? Halat and Vincent Sherry had been law partners, starting in 1981. Marcus Wright speaks, Timeless counsel from our revered Dr. Rev. The FBI, working closely with several anonymous informants who had been involved in the lonelyhearts scam, learned that much of the money was being funneled through a woman named Sheri LaRa Sharpe. Sherry became a Judge out of Biloxi. Whatever it was in Vinces case, it kept him and his wife in a comfortable lifestyle; one about which Margaret couldnt have complained too much, even if she disapproved of the ways her husbands clients likely came by their money. 19 people named Sheri Lara found in California, Tennessee and 8 other states. Found this on another site. Gillich was convicted in 1991 of conspiring to kill Circuit Court Judge Vincent Sherry and his wife, former Biloxi councilwoman Margaret Sherry. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). Mr. Gillich was charged with conspiring to sell marijuana and faces trial on that charge March 9. They were well-liked, respected, and welcomed into the fold. One cant help but wonder what the authorities would have found had the box been opened shortly after their deaths? We have a lot of catching up to do. John Ransom, Kirksey McCord Nix Jr., Sheri LaRa Sharpe, and former Biloxi mayor Pete Halat. There is enough that if someone would of taken the time to investigate they would realize how wrong what they said and hopefully do the right thing. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Those new to the area will be treated to a slice of the citys history many would just as soon forget. Halat was convicted in 1997 of conspiracy to commit racketeering, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to obstruct justice and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sharpe, 995 F.2d 49 (5th Cir. In the 1980s, Bobby Joe Fabian, Dixie Mafia kingpin Kirksey McCord Nix Jr. and other inmates at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola began running lonely-hearts telephone scams that mainly targeted homosexual men who sent thousands of dollars, thinking they were helping young men get out of minor scrapes with the law and join them. The visits were halted when she was caught with a photograph of a young man, a tool prosecutors said was used to lure homosexuals into the scam. All Filters. Still, the seamy events that led to the slayings of the judge and his wife were astounding, even to law-enforcement officials. My father found it easier to pay the small fee to keep the boxes than close them out as he had hopes of one day retiring to KY. Gillich died in April. Halat was elected mayor 1989, losing a re-election bid in 1993. Mayor Halat has vehemently denied any link to the scheme or the slayings, and called Mr. Fabian's story 'an outright lie.". Sheri LaRa Sharpe was released June 13, 2002, from a federal prison in Tallahassee, Fla., after serving five years for obstruction of justice. When a judge and his wife were found slain in gangland fashion in their home here four years ago, suspicion immediately fell on a loosely knit criminal group the authorities call the "Dixie Mafia" or the "Cornbread Cosa Nostra. I know my dad knew his as I have heard his name mentioned before. After two years in prison, Gillich decided to talk and implicated Halat, who was convicted after a second trial in 1997 for participating in the conspiracy. All of the same great people, writers and editors but now with more firepower. When money came up missing, Halat blamed Sherry, who had by then left their Biloxi law practice for his Circuit Court judgeship. I have pictures of my father with several of Mafia members playing cards at his kitchen months before my brother was murdered.. One such ploy was to tell stories of inmates in jail on false charges who needed only a few hundred dollars to gain their freedom. Martin Luther King, Jr. Rediscovering Lost Values. Bobby was predeceased by his mother Lucille( Lucy) and father Adolph Leroy Faubion ( Dock) Bobby is survived by a son Bobby Ray Faubion and three granchildren also brothers Donald. The city of Biloxi was in for the greatest shock to hit the Gulf Coast since Hurricane Camille had made landfall nearby 18 years earlier. A Tool of God book. The case had frustrated investigators until two years ago. He gave numerous details about the crime, including that he bought the bullets at K-Mart. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News. BILOXI (AP) Mike Gillich Jr., a former Biloxi striptease lounge owner who helped plot the 1987 Dixie Mafia murders of a judge and the judges wife, has died. Email me at jcamhi@sunherald.com. The show traces the connections that led to the murder: a Louisiana inmate represented by Halat had been scamming homosexuals from behind prison bars, posing in classified ads as a young man looking for love. YES!!! As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. After convictions in both Sherry trials, Nix was transferred to a maximum-security federal prison in Florence, Colo. Jeffrey Walker sentenced for fraud scheme, Funeral held for states first black female Republican mayor. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The nickname comes from Biloxi's long history of illicit gambling. When my family was clean out the house they found the big brown envelope. The authorities said that in some cases the inmates would lure their correspondents into writing compromising letters and sending their own photos. There was no obituary for him posted on the funeral homes website. Many viewers will hear for the first time from the lead investigator on the Sherry case, retired FBI Agent Keith Bell, who is interviewed at length. Gillich was reportedly known and trusted by almost all members of the Dixie Mafia, earning the trust of those who trusted no one else. The ensuing investigation into the Sherry murders eclipsed a decade, and would unveil ties between the murders and the corruption that gripped the Gulf Coast in the 1980s. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The casinos modern enforcer is the district attorney. 35.00 / 65.00. Linehan,. At the time of their deaths, the Sherrys were both 58 years old. The health department has a heck of time keeping disease numbers down on this subgroup. In the interview in August 1989, Mr. Fabian described the scheme in which he said he and other inmates took in hundreds of thousands of dollars. Those convicted of mob-related crimes in the aftermath of his killing included Mike Gillich Jr., John Ransom, Kirksey McCord Nix Jr., Sheri LaRa Sharpe, [3] and former Biloxi mayor Pete Halat. Your email address will not be published. Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Homes in Biloxi confirmed Gillich's death. I do understand where your information came from and it is wrong. His funeral service will be private, said funeral director Whitney Lang, who declined to comment further on Monday. Seemingly is a good word because after entering Angola prison Nix began running lonely hearts scams targeting gay men, which was pure evil genius as scamming people with something to hide (in this case being in the closet) minimized the risk the victim would complain to the authorities. 1999) Related To Stephanie Lara, Alfred Lara, Martha Lara. This comment sums the whole deal upsave for Margaret Sherry IMHO, who paid with her life for her husbands prior legal associations. [1] . He was then to make $100,000 payments every month for the rest of the year, when the balance would be due. I ever open till like a month ago. I have tried contacting the Sherry family and did contact the granddaughter concerning the death of Vincent Sherry and Margaret My father was bailiff for judge Sherry the night he was murdered. SHERI LARA SHARPE, Defendant-Appellant. BILOXI- (AP) Mike Gillich Jr., a former Biloxi striptease lounge owner who helped plot the 1987 Dixie Mafia murders of a judge and the judge's wife, has died. Federal prosecutors dropped those charges and Gillich was the chief prosecution witness when Sherry's former law partner, former Biloxi Mayor Pete Halat, and three others were convicted in 1997. The men who responded to these ads were wooed and asked to wire money to one of Nixs associates. The 70-year-old Halat left a Montgomery, Ala., federal prison in March of 2012. Mob members outside the prison, threatening to expose the letter-writers as homosexuals, would demand money, the authorities said. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Gillich, 61, is the well-connected owner of striptease joints on the Gulf Coast and a longtime friend of Halats. Based on the new information, Federal authorities pursued the case that led to the indictment of Mr. Nix and three others. Biloxi Mayor Pete Halat, at onetime Sherrys law partner, has been linked to all the defendants, mainly through telephone records, and has been mentioned throughout the trial. Biloxi's Tale of Murder, Extortion and Racy Photos, https://www.nytimes.com/1991/12/29/us/biloxi-s-tale-of-murder-extortion-and-racy-photos.html. The corruption was so severe that in 1983 federal authorities designated the Harrison County Sheriffs Office a criminal enterprise. Copyright @ 2022, The Mississippi Link - Site Designed by No Regret Media, Mike Epsy: Statment of Candidacy for United States Senate, KATRINA: Jordan family reflects on unforgettable experience, Remembering Katrina: I didnt plan to evacuate, Amber Alert: Two year old Myra Lewis is missing, Cover Mississippi, kickoff campaign launches this Friday at Metro Mall, Mississippi Link Exclusive: Sgt. Mr. Fabian said that when members demanded an explanation from Mayor Halat, he told them the money had been taken by his law partner at the time, Mr. Sherry, who became a judge shortly afterward, in July 1986. That said, with the descendants of Pete Halet proclaiming his innocence in the storys comments, I thought this comment was most appropriate to highlight here on Slabbed: Indeed they did and daughter Lynne Spositos son Thomas commented on my last post on this topic taking umbrage with me terming his granddad dirty as the day is long. As a result of this new information a grand jury issued a fifty-two count indictment against Nix, Holcomb, Halat, and Sheri LaRa Sharpe ("Sharpe"). Fabian, who had congestive heart failure and other health problems, died in June of 2012 in the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman. Was due to . In the television interview, Mr. Fabian also charged that Mr. Nix's longtime lawyer, Mayor Pete Halat of Biloxi, was the banker for the extortion scheme, and that it began to fall apart when $500,000 of the money was found to be missing. I have so much information I was unaware I had until I went through my dads things.. "As those who know him will attest, my father is an exceptional man who has suffered an enormous miscarriage of justice," Brandyn Halat Skeen said in a statement from the family. Nix participated in multiple money making schemes after being locked away, including a lonely hearts scam aimed to swindle gay men. When I identified the alleged perpetrator from a police line up and disclosed info. This story was originally published January 17, 2023 7:00 AM. Ashton ODwyer. Mike Gillich, John Ransom, Nix Jr. who was serving life in a Louisiana prison during the plotting and Nix's girlfriend, Sheri LaRa Sharpe, were convicted in 1991 on a federal conspiracy charge. Who are you? If you want their case reopened Please help me do so. Peter J. Halat, Jr. (born July 27, 1942) is an American politician and lawyer who served as the twelfth mayor of Biloxi, Mississippi. Mississippi judge opposed to Jimmy Maulden's casino plans. The homeowner was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds early Tuesday morning. Halat was elected mayor 1989 and lost a re-election bid in 1993. All rights reserved (About Us). If so moved he is certainly welcome to comment on this post. Do you know the history of any other key players from the Dixie Mafias reign in Biloxi? Cook was convicted for helping arrange the 1987 slayings. 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