Bonner indicted in track stars murder

A Mississippi grand jury handed down an indictment against former Northwest Community College student Christian Bonner for the September 29th shooting death of Ole Miss track star Rodney Lockhart.

Bonner faces capital murder charges because Lockhart died during the course of a robbery, the indictment alleges.

An indictment from a grand jury basically means there is enough evidence for the prosecutors to got to trial. The grand jury convened last week but did not file the indictment with the Lafayette County circuit court office until Wednesday.

Lockhart was found in his Taylor Pointe apartment off Anderson by a friend. He was dead with a gunshot wound to the head.

Bonner was picked up on October 5th for possession of cocaine and charged on October 8th with capital murder. Bonner has been in Lafayette County Detention Center since his arrest.

OPD busts two during traffic stop

OPD police captain Libby Lytle pulled over Kao Wokoma and Cahafer William Benjamin because she suspected they were involved in a recent burglary, the OPD reported Thursday.

During the stop Lytle discovered approximately ten pounds of "alleged" marijuana and four ounces of "alleged" cocaine the report said.

Wokoma ran track for Ole Miss in 2004.

"Both subjects were arrested by metro narcotics and are awaiting a bond hearing." the report said.

Ole Miss student dies before finals

Ole Miss freshman Sean O'Hara died Sunday night at his Sterling apartment. He was found by his girlfirend of two years, Kathryn Powell.

Powell said she found him dead on the floor of his apartment. They were planning to go out to dinner for her 21st birthday.

The cause of O'Hara's death is unknown at this time. He had no known pre-existing condition, Powell said. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death, Powell said.

"I will always love him, and he will be greatly missed. I feel as if I lost my other half. I still have old notes, pictures, gifts, and the promise ring he gave me," Powell said.

There were no signs of a struggle or any other foul play, said Oxford Police Chief Mike Martin. Calls to Lafayette County coroner Lonnie Weaver have not been returned.

Provost to step down in January

The University of Mississippi will soon be looking for a new provost.

Carolyn Staton, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Mississippi, has announced that she will step down from her position in January, according to a university press release.

Chancellor Robert Khayat has chosen Morris Stocks, senior vice chancellor for planning and operations, to serve as interim provost beginning January 1. Stocks has formerly served as dean of the School of Accountancy and associate provost.

“The entire university community is indebted to Carolyn for her many years of faithful service to the University both as a member of the law school faculty and an administrator,” Khayat said.

Staton’s resignation is the first step in her retirement plans, which will culminate in her full retirement from the university June 30, 2008. The provost announced her plans to retire earlier this year.

Staton has served as provost since 1999.