U.S. Department of Justice

Federal Bureau of Investigation

100 W. Capitol Street
Suite 1553
Jackson, Mississippi 39269

Contact: Deborah Madden
(601) 948-5000

For Immediate Release
January 13, 2006

John G. Raucci, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Mississippi, announced as follows:

On Thursday, January 12, 2006, LEVON EDMOND, age 43, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to kill a government witness in connection with the killing of CLOVIS REED. REED was to have testified against EDMOND and others in federal court in April of 2003 in a case involving the theft of a $50,000 government check by EDMOND and EDMOND's sister, KATHLEEN NELSON. REED's abandoned vehicle was found on April 3, 2003 by Jackson Police. One day later, a female body with no hands and no head was found in Harrisville, Mississippi. Through DNA testing, that body was identified as being CLOVIS REED. EDMOND also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Sentencing for EDMOND is currently scheduled to take place on March 22, 2006. During her colloquy and under oath, EDMOND testified that she conspired with JOE LEWIS COLLINS, age 59, of Magee, Mississippi, to kill CLOVIS REED.

At approximately 3:00 p.m. today, Special Agents of the FBI, assisted by the Simpson County Sheriff's Office, arrested JOE LEWIS COLLINS, without incident, in Magee, Mississippi, in connection with the murder of CLOVIS REED. According to the complaint filed in the United States District Court, COLLINS is charged with the murder of CLOVIS REED with the intention of preventing her from attending or testifying in an official proceeding, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512(a)(1)(A).

COLLINS will be held in the Madison County Detention Center pending his initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge .