Suspect in Mississippi professor slaying found dead, linked to second murder

Shannon Lamb, the suspect in two Mississippi murders

(Image credit: Twitter/@clarionledger)

published 15 September 2015

Shannon Lamb, the suspect in Monday's shooting death of a Delta State University history professor, said "he's not going to jail," Mississippi police said Monday evening, and he's not. Lamb died of self-inflicted gun wounds Monday night, after being confronted by police, The Associated Press reports. Police say that Lamb, 45, killed not only assistant professor Ethan Schmidt, 39, but also Amy Prentiss, 41, a woman he lived with in Gautier, Mississippi, some 300 miles south of Delta State's campus in Cleveland, Mississippi.

Police in Greenville, Mississippi, were following Lamb when he pulled over and fled his car, Delta State police chief Lynn Buford told AP Monday night. The police heard a gunshot, found Lamb with what was believed to be a self-inflicted wound, and brought him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. They gave no motive for Lamb's alleged murders.

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.