Boyette Dead, Rice In Custody In Georgia
February 8, 2017
William “Billy” Boyette and Mary Rice were surrounded Tuesday afternoon in a motel room in West Point, GA. Boyette took his own life; Rice is in custody.
The pair reportedly checked into the small motel Monday night. An observant Georgia citizen that had seen a local news report spotted their car in the parking lot about 1:30 p.m. Tuesday. The vehicle was positively identified as a Chevrolet Cobalt which was stolen during an armed home invasion robbery in Beulah on Monday morning.
Troup County authorities surrounded the hotel and awaited for additional state and local law enforcement to arrive, including a SWAT team from the Georgia State Patrol and U.S. Marshals.
Rice reportedly exited the room on command, closed the door behind her and peacefully surrendered. A short time later, officers heard a gunshot from within the room. They made entry and found Boyette deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Rice was transported to the Troup County Sheriff’s Office for questioning. Members of the State Attorney’s Office travled from Pensacola to Georgia to begin the interview process. It was not immediately clear if Rice will be extradited back to Florida or Alabama first to face charges in connection with two murders in Milton, a murder in Beulah and a murder in Lillian, AL.
Tuesday was day seven of a massive manhunt continued Tuesday for the duo.
The search centered primarily around BeulahT he Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has doubled the number of uniformed deputies on the streets, and the reward in the case has increased to $21,000.
On Monday, Boyette allegedly shot Kayla Crocker during a home invasion robbery on Beulah Road. Her 2-year old in the house was unharmed. The couple stole her 2006 white Chevrolet Cobalt. Boyette and Rice then made a purchase at a local Shell station and then proceeded to get breakfast at Hardee’s before disappearing again. Crocker passed away Tuesday afternoon from her injuries.
Boyette was the suspect in the shooting death of 30-year old Alicia Greer and 39-year old Jacqueline Moore in Milton at the Emerald Sands Inn a week ago and 52-year old Peggy Broz last Friday morning in Lillian, AL.
Law enforcement officers in multiple counties spent Sunday following up on alleged sightings of Boyette, but all turned out not to be him.
He allegedly stole the victim’s car Friday in Lillian. That vehicle was found abandoned in Beulah Saturday morning on Nine Mile Road near the I-10 intersection, not far from Navy Federal. That led authorities to believe that he might be in Escambia County where he has family ties. A K-9 search around the car turned up nothing.
Fourth Boyette Victim, A Beulah Mother Of Two, Has Passed Away
February 8, 2017
The 28-year old Beulah mother of two shot Monday died from her injuries on Tuesday afternoon.
Kayla Crocker was shot in the head during robbery home invasion early Monday morning at her home on Beulah Road by William Boyette, Jr. Her 2-year old was reportedly in the house at the time but was unharmed.
Boyette stole Croker’s 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt, the same vehicle he eventually used to flee to Georgia.
Boyette took his own life Tuesday afternoon in Georgia when authorities surrounded in a hotel room. His accomplice, Mary Rice, is in custody in Georgia. There’s no word yet what charges she will face in connection with Crocker’s death.
Family members have established a GoFundMe account to assist with funeral expenses and to establish an educational fund for her two children – 2-year old James Ross and 6-year old Rhea Naomi. Click here.
Crocker is a 2006 graduate of Tate High School.
Boyette Search Shuts Down Kingsfield, Locks Down Ransom Middle School
February 8, 2017
As authorities were surrounding William Boyette and Mary Rice in a Georgia motel room Tuesday afternoon, authorities in Escambia County were surrounding an area on Kingsfield Road off Beulah Road.
Ransom Middle School, the largest in the county, was placed on a “code red” lockdown as a precaution, and extra deputies responded to protect the campus.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, including their mobile command unit and SWAT team, mobilized with other law enforcement agencies around the wooded area on Kingsfield Road. They knew about the developing situation in Georgia, but continued with their local search just in case until receiving confirmation that the deadly duo was apprehended in Georgia.
Once confirmation was received that Boyette had taken his own life and Rice had surrendered, authorities in Escambia County ended their days-long manhunt.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
IP Explosion: Command Team Cuts Daily Oversight
February 8, 2017
Since the day after the January 22 explosion at International Paper in Cantonment, a Unified Command team as met onsite at IP multiple times per day to develop, review and implement action plans. But those daily meetings are coming to an end.
The Unified Command Team has developed and approved the remediation plans that are currently being implemented by cleanup teams and have finalized the long-term monitoring plan that will continue for the next six months once active cleanup is complete.
Now, the team has implemented a 15-day plan with agency representatives transitioning back their normal jobs. The Unified Command Team is comprised of International Paper, Escambia County EMA/Public Safety, Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The Unified Command Team will continue their collaborative oversight of remediation efforts and continue to provide guidance and technical expertise through daily communications and data reviews.
“International Paper remains committed to completing the remediation effort. We are not going anywhere. We are going to be here,”Mill Manager Brett DeJong said.
The next in-person Unified Command Team meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 22. The team is also ending daily updates provided to the media.
The Unified Command’s Joint Information Center (1-850-968-4208) will continue to be available for residents in the affected areas. Due to a progressive decrease in call volume, beginning today, live operators will now be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with voicemail available. Voicemail messages will be returned the next business day.
Of the approximately 150 homes identified as potentially being impacted by the uncident, about 90 percent have been partially or fully remediated.
All residents in the area impacted incident have been contacted or have had access forms left on the front door. A drop box has been left to receive the signed forms and a sign posted at the community entrance with an information phone number and location of the drop box.
Pictured top: The boots of cleanup team members are pressure washed as they leave Woodbury Circle in Cantonment. Pictured inset: A drop box on Woodbury Circle for providing signed forms to IP. Pictured below: Members of the Unified Command Team hold a press conference days after the Cantonment International Paper explosion. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One Injured In Cantonment Three Vehicle Crash
February 8, 2017
One person was transported to an area hospital following a three vehicle crash Monday afternoon
The accident happened about 12:25 p.m. on North Highway 29 at Morris Road in Cantonment. At least three other people refused medical treatment at the scene.
The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
High School Basketball Playoffs, Final Scores
February 8, 2017
Here are playoff scores from around the area Tuesday night:
District 1-8A
(3) Navarre 48, (2) Gulf Breeze 45
(1) Niceville 68, (4) Tate 52
Niceville at Navarre, Friday, 7 p.m.
District 1-7A
(3) Pace 53, (6) Milton 36
(4) Pine Forest 65, Escambia 54
Pace at Pine Forest, Friday 7:30 p.m.
District 3-1A
(2) Baker 49, (3) South Walton 46
(1) Chipley, (4) Freeport *
*Freeport forfeited due to a medical emergency
Baker vs Chipley, Friday 7 p.m. at Freeport
No Serious Injuries In North Century Boulevard Wreck
February 8, 2017
There were no serious injuries in a two vehicle crash involving a car and 18-wheeler late Monday morning on North Century Boulevard at McCall Road. The car came to rest in a parking lot, while the truck came to a stop in the paved median of the highway. The accident is under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Prison Inmate From Escambia (AL) County Escapes
February 7, 2017
An Alabama prison work release inmate convicted in Escambia County (AL) escaped from custody Tuesday morning.
Winston David Howell, 36, escaped from the Mobile Work Release Center about 11:18 a.m. He was last seen wearing a camouflage jacket, colored shirt and dark pants. He is described as a white male, brown hair, brown eyes, 6-feet 1-inch tall and about 200 pounds.
Anyone that knows his whereabouts is asked to call their local law enforcement agency or 911.
Howell was convicted in Escambia County on May 24, 2016, for receiving stolen property first degree. He was sentenced to one year and seven months.
Howell was arrested in March 2016 after an Escambia County (AL) Sheriff’s Office deputy stopped with a pickup truck that sitting along Highway 21 north of Fountain Prison to see if the driver needed assistance. After deputies determined the truck had been reported stolen in Mobile, Howell fled in the vehicle.
The deputy gave chase south toward Atmore. Upon reaching the city limits, the driver turned back north on Highway 21. He eventually turned onto Wayside Road, about five miles north of I-65, and ran off the the roadway a few hundred feet into an open field. The deputy fired at the truck in order to disable it, according to Chief Deputy Mile Lambert.
There were no injuries, and no one was struck by the gunfire.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Triple Murderer’s Name, Social Media Causing Problems For Family, 60-Year Old Business
February 7, 2017
A local family says the massive manhunt for an accused triple murder suspect is harming the reputation of their business and their family thanks to erroneous social media posts.
The Boyett family has been a well-respected family in Escambia County for years, operating Boyett’s Septic Tank and Portable Toilets since 1957. The family name has always been spelled without an “e” on the end, unlike the last name of William “Billy” Boyette, which ends with an “e”.
“You would think people could see the difference right away with the spelling,” Logan Boyett said Monday afternoon. “There is no ‘e’ on the end of our name. We have no connection or ties to this horrible monster of person murdering people.”
But the spelling difference has not stopped posts across social media accusing the Boyett family of supporting and even aiding the murder suspect Boyette. Many posts have called for businesses to drop their contacts with the Boyett’s 60-year old company.
“It’s unbelievable what they have accused us of doing,” Debbie Boyett of Molino said. “We are not connected to this man in any way.”
IP Explosion Update: Info Center Cutting Hours
February 7, 2017
The cleanup following the January 22 explosion at the International Paper mill in Cantonment is continuing, and the Joint Information Center is set to cut hours.
About 200 cleanup personnel continue to work in the affected neighborhood, completing the majority of cleaning required at approximately 10 homes per day.
The Unified Command’s Joint Information Center (1-850-968-4208) as been available with a live representative 24/7 since shortly after the explosion. It will continue to be available for residents in the affected areas. But beginning Wednesday, live operators will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with voicemail available after hour. Calls will be returned the next business day.
The Unified Command is comprised of International Paper, Escambia County EMA/Public Safety, Florida Department of Health, Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.