David Dickerson was sentenced to death by the State of Mississippi for the murder of Paula Herrington Hamilton
According to court documents David Dickerson would go to the home of his ex girlfriend Paula Herrington Hamilton. Once there he would shoot her before setting her on fire
David Dickerson would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death
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Where Is David Dickerson Now
David Dickerson is incarcerated at Mississippi State Prison
David Dickerson Case
David Dickerson and Paula Herrington Hamilton were in a relationship in the mid–1990s, and they had a child, Courtney Dickerson. When the relationship ended, Dickerson had little contact with Paula and Courtney, unless it was negative. Paula later married Allen Hamilton. She had two children in addition to Courtney. Paula and her family lived on property near Wesson, Mississippi. Paula’s sister, Robin Herrington, lived with them. Several other family members lived on the property as well, including an aunt, Linda Austin, who lived in a trailer behind Paula’s house.
¶ 3. In 2010, Paula sought a protective order against Dickerson, claiming that he was stalking her and then-sixteen-year-old Courtney. She also filed a criminal affidavit alleging stalking. A protective order was entered, and a hearing was set for January 25, 2011, on the related criminal allegations. On the morning of January 25, 2011, Robin was outside Paula’s house around 6:30 a.m. when she saw a man on the property. She told Paula, who went outside to investigate. Robin heard a gunshot, and Paula yelled for her to call 911. Robin testified that Paula came back to the house, covered with blood, and the man was following her and demanding keys to a van. Robin recognized the man as David Dickerson.
¶ 4. Paula’s younger daughter, then-thirteen-year-old Kayla Herrington, was getting ready for school when her aunt Robin said a man was outside the house. Kayla testified that Paula went outside, then Kayla heard screaming, so Kayla went outside as well. Kayla saw a man “messing with a gun.” She went back inside to get her little brother, then she heard two gunshots. Kayla took her little brother into the bathroom and locked the door behind them. Kayla testified that Robin joined the children in the bathroom, and Kayla called 911. Kayla then looked out the window and saw the man pouring gas on the camper, then he took the gas can and ran off. Kayla testified that she heard her sister, Courtney, say that the man was David Dickerson.
¶ 5. Courtney also was getting ready for school when her aunt Robin saw a man outside. Courtney testified that Paula went outside, then Courtney heard screaming and they all ran outside. She saw her father, David Dickerson, holding a gun to her mother’s head. Courtney testified that Dickerson was demanding keys. Courtney tried to push Dickerson away from her mother, but Dickerson punched Courtney in the face. Paula told Courtney to go to her Aunt Linda’s, so Courtney ran to Linda’s trailer. A few moments later, Paula came to the trailer, drenched in blood. They let her in and locked the door behind her. Dickerson kicked the door in, and Linda pointed a gun at him. Dickerson pointed his gun at Courtney and threatened to shoot her if Linda did not put her gun down. Paula told Courtney to leave, so she and Linda fled the trailer. Courtney testified that Dickerson was holding a gas can, and she saw him pour gasoline on Paula and throughout the trailer. Linda ran to a neighbor’s house, and Courtney ran back to Paula’s house. Courtney then saw the trailer on fire.
¶ 6. Reverend Thomas McCormick and Reverend Ken Hedgepeth were driving past Paula’s house when they saw the trailer explode. They pulled into the driveway and ran toward the burning trailer. Reverends McCormick and Hedgepeth saw a man standing near the trailer. They found Paula, alive and on fire, trapped under the trailer. They testified that they pulled her away and that she smelled of gasoline. The men tried to help Paula, but she died before police arrived. She had sustained gunshots to the head and back, stab wounds to the neck and trunk, and first-degree burns.
¶ 7. Police officers arrived and searched the area. After speaking with Paula’s family members, Dickerson was named as a suspect and a be-on-the-lookout notice was issued. Kristina Stewart lived near Paula. She was driving home around 8:00 a.m., after taking her children to school, when she saw an unknown man emerge from the woods wet and covered in mud. She later identified Dickerson in a photographic lineup. Glenn and Betty Sue McInnis lived about a mile down the road. Around 9:30 a.m., Dickerson arrived at the McInnises’ home and asked for gasoline. By that time, the McInnises knew about the situation and had been advised to be on alert for a suspicious person in the area. Glenn led Dickerson to his shop, intending to lead Dickerson away from his wife and home. Sheriff’s deputies arrived and arrested Dickerson.
¶ 8. Investigators found Dickerson’s motorcycle three-tenths of a mile from Paula’s house. Officers found recently discarded clothing in an abandoned house not far from the scene. The clothing matched a description of Dickerson’s clothing that day. A t-shirt with blood on it was later matched to Paula. A twenty-two-caliber pistol was discovered in a water well near the abandoned house. Ballistics determined that the pistol matched rounds found outside Linda’s trailer as well as the bullet that was removed from Paula.
¶ 9. A grand jury indicted Dickerson for capital murder of Paula Hamilton, arson of Linda Austin’s trailer, and armed robbery of Paula Hamilton. Dickerson maintained that he did not kill Paula and denied any involvement in the crimes. Before trial, Dickerson moved for a determination of his competency to stand trial and a determination as to whether he was intellectually disabled. The court appointed forensic psychologist Dr. Criss Lott to evaluate Dickerson. Dr. Lott determined that Dickerson was not mentally retarded, but he was not able to determine whether Dickerson was competent to stand trial.
https://caselaw.findlaw.com/court/ms-supreme-court/1705474.html
