A Mississippi triple murder suspect was shot and killed by a DPS trooper during a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 191 at the Horseshoe bend between Clifton and Morenci.
By Jon Johnson
MORENCI/CLIFTON – On Monday, May 13, at around 7:30 a.m., the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) was notified of a possible sighting of a suspect in the Safford area who was wanted for a triple homicide that occurred in Mississippi on May 12, 2024.
Ivory James Welch III, was a suspect in the murder of Ida Thomas Welch, 76, Vicky Renee Welch, 56, and Crystal Lynn Welch, 42, in Ridgeland, Mississippi on Sunday. The victims are the suspect’s mother and sisters.
Utilizing investigative assets, detectives from the AZDPS, the Greenlee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clifton Police Department believed the suspect to be in the Morenci-Clifton area, and responded to attempt to locate the suspect.
“An arrest warrant was obtained and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force began searching for Welch,” Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers stated in a news release. “Arizona State Troopers attempted to apprehend Welch and he fired upon the troopers and was fatally wounded in the gunfight.”
At around 10:17 a.m., investigators successfully located the suspect’s vehicle on U.S. Highway 191 North between Morenci and Clifton and conducted a traffic stop to take the suspect into custody. The suspect exited the vehicle and presented a firearm, which resulted in a trooper-involved shooting, according to the DPS. The suspect, identified as Ivory James Welch III, was declared deceased on the scene.
No law enforcement personnel from any agencies were injured.
The AZDPS Major Incident Division is investigating the incident.
The highway remained closed to normal traffic until about 8:30 p.m.
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