Sherman, TN: Hostage Situation Ends: 1 dead Relatives said man had been staking wife, kids

Dennis Turner
4:47 PM CDT, May 17, 2010

Union County, MS - FAST FACTS:
David Cox bursts into wife's home Friday according to police
Shoots, kills wife, holds kids hostage 20 hours
Cox arrested, charged with kidnapping, murder



David Cox Senior apparently burst into the home of his estranged wife late Friday, killed her, and held his children hostage.

It happened at the city limits of the Union County town of Sherman, almost a two hour drive from Memphis down Highway 78.

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Relatives say David Cox had threatened to kill his wife for some time, and began stalking her upon his release recently from the Pontotoc County Jail on drug charges.

By most accounts, David Cox Senior is a very dangerous man.

He proved it this weekend when he burst into his estranged wife's home, shot Kim Kirk Cox twice and held a 12-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son hostage while their mother lay dying for hours.

"He'd been stalking her ever since he got out of jail in Pontotoc and he'd been telling her that he was gonna kill her," said Kim's Cousin Brandy Pannell.

Relatives came to the home Monday to clean up from the hostage and barricade situation which began about 7:30 Friday night and dragged on several hours into Saturday.

Pannel said her cousin had pleaded for help from police for weeks, "She was so terrified and she was begging, she begged the police, she called 'em every day since he got out of jail and she called 'em all day Friday."

Cox apparently drove back and forth in front of the home Friday before bursting inside.

Union County Sheriff Tommy Wilhite said he wasn't content to let Cox appear before a justice court judge as usual, because Justice Court judges can't deny bond.

Instead, deputies took Cox to Tippah County to appear before a Circuit Judge.

The hostage situation dragged for hours because officers feared more killing.

"The information we were getting was if we made a move on the house he was gonna shoot the children," said Wilhite.

But it wasn't easy to negotiate with Cox, whom officers suspected to be under the influence of drugs.

"We got him talking on the phone with the hostage negotiator, we got him to talking on it but he made no sense. He demanded a gallon of tea. He wanted two cups of sugar in the tea," the Sheriff recalled.

In fact, officers discovered a crystal meth lab in his truck.

Tupelo SWAT officers finally stormed the house late Saturday, and arrested Cox.

"I'm not glad they just got him in jail. They should have taken him out just like he took her out. That was my sister, my cousin, and my best friend," said Pannell.

District Attorney Ben Creekmore charged Cox with Capital Murder, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, and Aggrivated Assault.

He says once the investigation is complete, he may convene an early grand jury to consider further charges.

Meantime, the children are said to be doing well in the care of relatives.