Arrest warrants issued for Park County murder suspects
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with the Park County Sheriff's Office and 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, has obtained arrest warrants for two murder suspects captured in Poplarville, Mississippi, for the murder of a Hartsel man.
The arrest warrants for Johnny Rankin Morris, 46, and Hailey Cole, 43, list the following counts:
- First Degree Murder – Intent/Deliberation (Felony)
- Aggravated Robbery (Felony)
- First Degree Aggravated Motor Vehicle Theft (Felony)
- Tampering with Evidence of Felony Crime (Felony)
- Conspiracy (Felony)
They are accused of killing 65-year-old Timmy Huston sometime December 19, 2024.
Also on December 19, 2024, the El Paso County Sheriff's Office began investigating the disappearance of 37-year-old Stephen Walker, who resided in a private residence where Johnny Rankin Morris was a housemate. El Paso Sheriff Detectives discovered a large pool of blood in the garage of the home where the two men lived.
In late December, Park County Sheriff Deputies received a Welfare Check request for Timmy Huston. During that investigation a deputy discovered Walker's car about 1.5 miles away from Huston's home. The Park County Sheriff's Office then contacted the El Paso County Sheriff's Office about its investigation.
The Park County Sheriff’s Office discovered Timmy Huston dead inside his Hartsel home later that day and requested assistance from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Law Enforcement put out an alert for Morris and Cole, who were believed to be traveling to their home state of Mississippi in Huston's truck, a Ford F250.
On December 28, 2024, the Lamar County, Mississippi, Sheriff's Office located the Ford F250 truck.
Monday, Morris and Cole were arrested by the Pearl River County, Mississippi, Sheriff's Office.
CBI says help from law enforcement agencies and the citizens in local communities across Colorado, Louisiana, and Mississippi were essential to this case.