1977 Jerry Lee Armstrong 12 -23- 1977, Hernando, DeSoto County

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Possible break in Hernando cold case

By staff reports
Published: Friday, November 6, 2009 9:52 PM CST
HERNANDO — Forensic experts will examine human remains discovered in Arkansas in 2001 to determine if they could be those of a Hernando teenager who went missing almost 32 years ago.

Commander Fred Perez with the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department said the family of Jerry Lee Armstrong recently gave DNA samples to authorities to see if the remains might be a match to Armstrong, who disappeared following a Christmas dance at the Hernando National Guard Armory on Dec. 23, 1977. Armstrong was 18 at the time he disappeared.

“They (Arkansas authorities) have found some remains, and their investigation has concluded these are the remains of a black male between 16 and 19 years old who was found in Poinsett County in 2001,” Perez said Friday. “At the time there were no reported missing persons in Poinsett County.”

Poinsett County is about 80 miles from Hernando.

Perez said that fishermen discovered the remains in a ditch near the St. Francis River in 2001. The remains were found several feet from the water’s edge.

“Apparently the water level had gone down and exposed the remains,” Perez said.

Arkansas authorities contacted Perez after seeing Armstrong’s information in a missing persons database.

Perez said Armstrong’s information was recently entered for the first time into the National Center for Missing Adults.

“Jerry Lee Armstrong’s information, for whatever reason, was never entered into the national database,” he said. “Even if this proves not to be Jerry Lee Armstrong, it (DNA) can be compared to other remains.”

Because Armstrong’s disappearance is believed by authorities to be linked to a hate crime, the case has received fresh attention from local and state authorities.

The FBI, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and other agencies have been investigating the Armstrong case on an on-again, off-again basis for the past several years.

Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department at 662-429-1470.
http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2009/1...12306732109.txt

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Cold Case: Jerry Lee Armstrong
30 Year Old Cold Case Still Looking for Answers
Updated: Wednesday, 23 Sep 2009, 9:38 PM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 23 Sep 2009, 9:38 PM CDT

Jill Monier
HERNANDO, Miss. - Almost 32 years after a Hernando high school quarterback disappeared on prom night, his family still hasn't given up hope that the case will be solved.

Jerry Lee Armstrong disappeared, in 1977. Today his brother, Johnny, is still searching for answers.

Johnny Armstrong says, "Hurts to look at him like that, gone that long, 32 years no body is talking."

December 23rd, 1977. 18-year old Jerry Lee Armstrong drove to prom at the National Guard Armory in his brothers 1973 White Pontiac LeMans. It was the last time the Hernando High School quarterback was seen.

DeSoto County Commander Fred Perez says, "Several people saw him at the dance, one saw him as he was leaving the dance that was the last time he was ever seen."

Commander Perez, recently dusted off the case. He says, not only was Jerry Lee Armstrong's body never found, neither was the car he was driving.

Perez says, "Normally on a robbery, burglary of an automobile we would have found the car somewhere abandoned, stripped, burned normally you're going to find the car, but no car."

Johnny believes his brother was murdered and a victim of mistaken identity. He thinks someone, possibly the Ku Klux Klan, was after his older brother, James, who was dating a white girl at the time…something he says was not accepted in Desoto County in 1977.

Jerry Lee was driving James' white LeMans that night. Deputies say they're not ruling anything out.

Perez says, "Anything could have happened to this young man but it's the not knowing part that you're going to lose sleep over."

Johnny says he and his family has lost a lot of sleep over the disappearance and the unwillingness of sheriff's deputies to investigate the case in 1977.
Armstrong says, "I don't feel like they investigated like it was supposed to be investigated."

He's not the only one that thinks the case wasn't fully investigated.
Perez says the case file is unusually thin, showing a disorganized investigation or lack of interest.

Perez says, "pictures, initial reports, missing person reports, case logs of what action was taken when this man was reported missing, none of that was in the file."

Johnny says he's been told someone with "a lot of power" was involved with his brother's death. At one point, the FBI was investigating. They have since; made their files available to the Sheriff's Office who says the case will remain open until it's resolved.

Perez says, "There's no reason anyone would want him dead, everyone we interviewed says he was an average high school kid, never in trouble."

Armstrong says, "Jerry never been in trouble, Jerry never got a speeding ticket, never pulled over by police."

Both investigators and the Armstrong family believe the people responsible are alive and still in the area.

Perez says, "we're willing to talk to anybody who may have information doesn't have to be here at the sheriff's office, names don't have to be made public, we just need help, we need information."

Armstrong says, "These people who did this have to pay one way or another, if it's not here they'll get it when judgment day comes."

Sheriff's deputies say if you have information that can help them, call Crimestoppers at 662-429-TIPS. That's 662-429-8477. As always you may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.

http://www.myfoxmemphis.com/dpp/news/crime...y_Lee_Armstrong

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video
http://video.aol.co.uk/video-detail/cold-c...rong/1318468373

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Missing
First name Jerry
Middle name Lee
Last name Armstrong

NCMEC number 1169791
Date LKA December 23, 1977 00:00

Age LKA 17 to 17 years old

Race Black/African American

Sex Male
Height (inches) 66.0
Weight (pounds) 145.0

City Hernando
State Mississippi
Zip code 38632
County DeSoto
Circumstances Armstrong was last seen dropping his girlfriend off at her home after a school dance in Hernando, MS on December 23, 1977.

Physical
Hair color Black

Left eye color Brown
Right eye color Brown



Scars and marks scar over left eye



Clothing dark green suit with yellow shirt and green tie
Footwear black stacks


Transportation Methods
Vehicle make Pontiac
Vehicle model Lemans
Year 1973

Vehicle color White

Tag number DAY 458
Tag state Mississippi
Expiration year
Vehicle comments red and black stripes down the sides


Dental
Status: Dental information / charting is currently not available

DNA
Status: Sample submitted - Tests complete

Fingerprint Information
Status: Fingerprint information is currently not available

Police Information
Title Detective
First name Candace
Last name Coleman
Phone 662-429-1470
Email
Website
Case number 860403Z
Date reported December 23, 1977
Jurisdiction County
Agency Desoto County Sheriff's Department
Address 1 311 W. South St.
Address 2
City Hernando
State Mississippi
Zip code 38632