Monday, February 2, 2004
Oxford Eagle

By KELLY SHACKLETON
Staff Writer

The career of a rising beauty pageant contestant ended tragically over the weekend when she was the victim of an apparent homicide.

Investigators reported that the body of Ms. Barbara Dubois, 23, of Oxford, was found near her room in the Yoknapatawpha County Conference Center (YCCC) hotel, where she was a finalist in the first annual Yoknapatawpha County Literature Beauty pageant.

A 911 call was placed at 6:50 AM to Yoknapatawpha County Emergency Services. Police arrived at the hotel/conference center complex at about 6:57. Ms. Dubois body was discovered at 6:59 AM. Sheriff's deputies then called for emergency services. Ms. Dubois was pronounced dead at 8:00 by a representative of the Yoknapatawpha County Coroner's office.

"It appears that Ms. Dubois was brutally attacked while en route either to or from her room, another room on this floor or another location," said Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer Elizabeth Jones.

Jones would not disclose further details of the case pending ongoing forensic analysis and investigation, but said the department was pursuing several leads.

A graduate of the University of Mississippi, Dubois had no siblings. She is survived by her mother, Susan Dubois, 43, of Yoknapatawpha County. Mrs. Dubois was not available for comment.

Sources say that when Barbara Dubois did not respond to knocks on her door, her mother contacted YCCC manager Robert Niwachee, and that then Niwachee and Mrs. Dubois entered the room to find Barbara gone.

"Her bed warn't even slept in," said Niwachee. "Nothing like this has ever happened at YCCC before," he said. "Of course, the place is new."

"I didn't see nothing," said Norm Resol, YCCC custodial engineer. "But I saw her before. Very pretty young lady. Prettiest of all them that's here. It's a shame, a real shame."

Dubois was predicted by some to win the pageant. At the time of her death, Dubois was ranked in the top three finalists. Dubois had a lengthy career in the pageant circuit and had been entering the competitions since the age of 5. She was described by other pageant contestants as an accomplished dancer who often performed complex routines for her skills competition.

Walbert Dopelson, Director of the Yoknapatawpha County Literary Festival, said that he hoped this tragic event would not cause people to shy away from the Festival's many activities.

"She was a real sweet person," said Sam Tuttle, owner of Tuttle's Confections and who, until last year, sponsored Barbara in competition. "We're all at a loss as to who might have wanted to hurt her."

Marty "Slim" Rutgers, long-time coach to Ms. Dubois, said "I loved her more than any man could love a daughter."

"I knew Barbara," said Allie Lamar, owner of Lamar Cosmetics, which is the Pageant's official corporate sponsor. "Barbara believed in the pageant and in competitions like it with all her heart and soul. She would want us to continue, even in the face of tragedy and adversity. That's what she did, and that's what we'll do."

Yoknapatawpha County Sheriff's Department said a press conference would be held later in the week.