Boyfriend charged with capital murder after 21-year-old pregnant woman missing from Miss. found dead

HOLMES COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) - The 21-year-old pregnant woman who went missing out of Holmes County has been found dead.

According to Sheriff Willie March, Makayla Winston was found off of County Road 471 in Holmes County around noon on Monday.

Sheriff Willie March confirmed that Winston’s boyfriend, 33-year-old Terrence Sample, was booked into the Holmes-Humphreys County Regional Correctional Facility on Monday night. He has since been charged with kidnapping and two counts of murder in the woman’s death and was denied bond at his initial court appearance Wednesday.

Sheriff March said, “His lawyer came in with him and basically turned himself in to us for questioning. Through the questioning, we received information that he had association or contact with her that night she came up missing.”

Sheriff March said Sample has denied any involvement with Winston.

The Sheriff says they have witnesses that put the two together near the time of her disappearance.

As of Tuesday evening, Terrance Sample had still not gone before a judge.

Sheriff March said Sample’s mother is a justice court judge in Attala County and she, along with other judges who could preside over his initial appearance, have recused themselves.

Authorities are now looking for a judge to hear the case in the next 24 hours.

A crowd of hundreds, including Makayla’s family, friends and concerned citizens waited at watched as investigators worked the crime scene Monday.

Winston, who was nine-months pregnant, went missing June 27th when her car was found deserted with the keys still in the ignition at an intersection.

According to family, she left to show the baby’s father the sonogram Thursday evening and never returned home.

READ MORE: Investigation continues for missing pregnant woman from Mississippi

The four-door 2008 Pontiac Grand Prix Winston was located at the intersection of Highway 14 at Interstate 55 in Holmes County on Friday.

Winston’s cell phone was found wiped clean laying in a ditch near the car. A radio was taken from the car.

Natasha Gaston, the victim’s cousin said, “Actually I can sleep better. Now my cousin can get sleep and her kids can sleep and we just have to prepare ourselves for the next step, which we were preparing ourselves for, we just hadn’t got closure. Today we had closure.”

Winston’s body was sent to the State Crime Lab where an autopsy will be performed. Sheriff March said her body did not show obvious signs of trauma.

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