Three Arrested in MS. For Ponchatoula Man's Murder

Source: Crime Stoppers of Tangipahoa, Inc.

Dedrick Grant, Jr., age 27, was last seen on Thursday when he left with two individuals heading to Mississippi. The individuals were identified as Michael Benge (38) and Rachel Dean (35), both from Hattiesburg, MS. A missing persons report was filed after Grant did not return home and would not answer his phone.

Dedrick Grant was located around 2:30 am Wednesday (June 24, 2020) in an area near Lumberton, MS. He appeared to have been shot at least one time.

Benge and Dean will both be charged with Grant’s murder. Benge was arrested Tuesday (June 23, 2020)  night by Jones County Mississippi deputies after they found him in possession of a stolen handgun resulting from a traffic stop. Rachel Dean is also in custody. A third person has been arrested in connection with the murder. Larry McCarty is being charged with Accessory After the Fact of a Capital Murder.

Ponchatoula PD would like to thank the following agencies for their immediate assistance in locating Grant: Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, Hattiesburg Police Department, Laurel Police Department, Jones County District Attorney’s Office, US Marshal’s Office, MS Highway Patrol, MS Bureau of Investigations, and the FBI offices in New Orleans, Jackson, and Hattiesburg.