CLIFTON — The suspect in a triple homicide in Mississippi is dead following a gun battle with law enforcement in Clifton.
Arizona Department of Public Safety officials said that the agency was notified Monday at about 7:30 a.m. of an attempt to locate Ivory James Welch III, who was wanted in connection with a triple homicide in Ridgeland, Miss.
A DPS trooper, along with Greenlee County Sheriff’s deputies and Clifton Police officers located the suspect in the Morenci-Clifton area and, at about 10:17 a.m. Monday, stopped the suspect’s vehicle on U.S. Highway 191.
DPS said Welch exited his vehicle and “presented a weapon,” which “resulted in a trooper-involved shooting.”
Welch was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured and DPS Major Incident Division is investigating the incident.
Welch was named the primary suspect in a triple murder in Ridgeland.
On Sunday, three women were found deceased in a Ridgeland home, all suffering gunshot wounds. They were: Crystal Lynn Welch, 42; Vicky Renee Welch, 56; and Ida Thomas Welch, 76. The suspect was the son of Ida Welch.
An arrest warrant was obtained and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force began searching. He wasn’t spotted until reaching the Clifton area.
“This horrific event will have a lasting effect on this family, the officers involved in this investigation as well as our brothers in Arizona law enforcement,” Ridgeland Police Chief Brian Myers said in a press release.
Clifton Police announced that the incident initially forced the closure of U.S. Highway 191, from Marathon to Los Mendoza’s, to all traffic. Small vehicle traffic was re-routed through Shannon Hill and the closure to passenger vehicles was expected to remain in place until about 7 p.m.
At about 2 p.m., Clifton Police announced that semis were being allowed to travel on Highway 191.
Editor’s note: This story was updated at 8:42 p.m. Monday, May 13, 2024, with information on the sequence of events from Arizona Department of Public Safety.
