Domestic Dispute Ends in Murder

HATTIESBURG, MISS. - Tuesday morning, Jones County Sheriff’s Deputies received a call to a home on Oak Bowery Road in Ellisville regarding a “shots fired” complaint. While enroute deputies were notified the suspect, Whitney Kitchens had shot his wife, Erin Kitchens multiple times. When authorities arrived they took Kitchens into custody, where Kitchens admitted he and his wife had been arguing when the situation escalated. Kitchens statement in court for his initial appearance Wednesday said his wife pulled a gun out on him and threatened to take their kids away from him, that’s when he reached for his .38 revolver and shot his wife. Currently, Kitchens is charged with Second Degree Murder, and his bond is set at $25,000. "This is a very, very tragic incident that has occurred. There's family involved, there are children involved. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and everyone that's involved on both sides. Because in a situation like this there is a lot of emotion on both sides,” Maj. Jamie Tedford of the Jones County Sheriff’s Department said. “You got to understand it's tough for us to and come in and work a situation like this, but our heart thoughts and prayers go out to the family. Our hearts are with them."