Mississippi pastor confesses to killing Alabama man 3 years ago

MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – A three-year-old missing persons case may be wrapped up after a surprise confession.

Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook has been in law enforcement for more than twenty years, and he’s seen a lot - but Tuesday was a first.

“James Eric Crisp walked into my office, of his own free will, and confessed to having killed Mr. Taylor,” Sheriff Crook said.

Forty-eight hours later, Crisp, 37, was being led into Monroe County Justice Court for a bond hearing on one count of manslaughter for the death of 48-year-old Roger Loyd Taylor of Sulligent, Alabama.

According to the sheriff, Crisp said he killed Taylor on March 10, 2019, and disposed of the victim’s body.

Taylor’s truck was discovered on Blair Cemetery Road in Monroe County a couple of days after he was reported missing. Searches since then have turned up no evidence, and the case went cold until this week.

Crisp has prior arrests for drug-related charges, but during his time as a resident at a Christian discipleship program called “God’s House of Hope,” the sheriff says Crisp had a life-changing encounter.

“By his own testimony, he got saved three years ago, was in a recovery center, we sent him there, he is now a teacher and preacher in that program,” Crook said.

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