A man who allegedly stole a pickup in Starkville last month is accused of cutting off his ankle monitor last week and killing his mother and girlfriend in Winston County.
Carlos Daniels, 37, faces two first-degree murder charges after the remains of his mother, Linda Daniels, and his girlfriend, Chancie Ware, were found Thursday in a Louisville home.
He was arrested in Scott County Thursday on unrelated contempt of court charges in Winston County and Starkville.
Winston County Sheriff Mike Perkins said the Starkville charge was related to Daniels being charged with grand larceny of a motor vehicle after allegedly stealing a truck from the Lowe’s parking lot in June.
“He had an ankle bracelet on in Starkville while he was out on bond, and he had cut the ankle bracelet off,” Perkins told The Dispatch. “So they also have a charge on him for contempt of court.”
Daniels was charged Saturday with two counts of first-degree murder. Winston County Justice Court Judge Robert Beck denied bond.
Perkins said Daniels’ court date has been preliminarily set for Aug. 7.
“It all depends on how quick we get the autopsies back and some other evidence in,” he said.
The murder investigation started early Thursday morning after a resident of Zion Ridge Road in Louisville called 911 to report finding bloody clothing and sheets inside their garbage can. Investigators began processing the items as evidence.
Later that afternoon, WCSD received a second 911 call requesting a welfare check at the residence of 2920 Zion Ridge Road. Finding the doors locked when they arrived, deputies entered the home through a window.
Inside they found the bodies of two women, and deputies contacted the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations Crime Scene Unit to come process the scene.
After interviewing friends and family of the two victims, investigators determined Daniels – who had been seen leaving the crime scene around 10 a.m. that morning – was a person of interest.
Investigators put out a “be on the lookout” alert to other law enforcement agencies and determined Daniels was located in Scott County.
Officers with the Scott County Sheriff’s Department found Daniels and initiated a traffic stop, where they arrested him.
Perkins said his office feels certain the two women were killed at the home. Their bodies have already been taken to the Mississippi Crime Lab in Jackson, and autopsies are expected to be done this week, he said.
Daniels is currently being held at the Winston-Choctaw County Regional Correctional Facility.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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