Father, son charged in B’ville murder – child hit by gunfire intended for third man charged in case

Published 10:18 pm Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Batesville Police last week charged a father and son with murder in the shooting death of Dameon Sanford last month.

Arlando James Webb, 44, of 209 Draper St., surrendered to authorities on Tuesday, June 25.

Orlando Jay Webb, 24, of 1303A Hentz Rd., was arrested the following day. Both were charged with murder and their case will be presented to the next term of a Grand Jury. They are being held at the county jail.

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Sanford’s death was the first recorded homicide of 2024. He was shot multiple times about 12:50 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, after a short confrontation at a convenience store on Panola Ave. 

Closed circuit video from Panola 1st Stop, also known as the old Helm’s convenience store, shows Sanford walking to the car wash beside the store where he appeared to be waiting on someone else to arrive. The store had closed earlier in the evening.

Two vehicles arrived at the scene and after a short confrontation guns were fired and both cars left the scene. The Coroner’s Office said the victim died at the scene.

Detective Adam Smithey was the lead investigator. In the process, a third person was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit first degree murder. 

Nathan Charles Johnson, 41,  was driving one of the cars that pulled up to the car wash when the victim was standing, investigators believe. 

Their findings will be presented to a Grand Jury and he could be charged with a number of crimes, including accessory to murder before the fact.

In a twist to the case, a house on Shiloh Rd. was shot into, drive-by style, the night the elder Webb turned himself into authorities, in what police believe may have been an attempt to hit Johnson. 

Instead, only a four year old child was struck by gunfire. The child did not receive life-threatening injuries but did require hospitalization for the wound. Johnson has been released on bond.

Sheriff’s investigators worked that case, and have been unable to positively identify the shooter or shooters. Johnson was not at the house at the time of the drive-by.