Woman charged with conspiracy after bloody man found shot inside car

Published 3:36 pm Thursday, June 13, 2019

A Mississippi woman was charged with conspiracy to commit murder for her alleged involvement in the death of a man who was found inside his car after he was shot multiple times and died later.

Judge James Jefferson refused to set bond for Demetra Anderson, 24, at an initial appearance Thursday in Warren County Justice Court.

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace said Anderson is accused of conspiring with other people to set up the circumstances that led to Keithan Ward’s death. Her arrest is the first in the case.

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Anderson said in court she had an attorney but did not provide a name.

Pace would not comment further on the case, citing the ongoing investigation.

Jefferson refused to set a bond on the recommendation of 9th Circuit District Attorney Ricky Smith. Smith said Anderson did not live in Warren County and there were indications she planned to leave the area if she were granted bond.

He said he would file a motion for a bond hearing, adding he would explain then why he sought no bond for Anderson.

Sheriff’s deputies responding a 9:15 p.m. call June 7 about a one-car wreck in the 8400 block of Halls Ferry Road found Ward in a Nissan Altima with multiple gunshot wounds.

He was taken to Merit Health River Region, where he later died in the hospital emergency room.