Crime scene inventory

YOKNAPATAWPHA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
Taylor Sheldon, Sheriff
Oxford, MS 38655

INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM

TO: Detective Samantha Murphy; Detective Erin Parker
FROM: T.R. Douglas, Forensics Officer
DATE: June 16, 2024
RE: Preliminary crime scene evidence inventory
Monica Drum homicide investigation, Case # 003016-16F-2024

Preliminary inventory of desk and file cabinet items from the Drum crime scene for your review. Selected items with potential evidentiary value were taken into evidence and submitted to the State Crime Lab for analysis. Examination and inventory of other areas of the crime scene are ongoing.

Desk

Desk Description – Large office desk with one side file drawer (Drawer 1), one small side drawer (Drawer 2), and a central shallow tray-type drawer for pens and other supplies (Drawer 3)

Location

Description / Remarks
Drawer 1 Contents
132 letter-size manila file folders with tabs
  • The folders appear to be labeled by topic and are arranged alphabetically from A through Z. Subjects include: "Architectural Review Commission," "Dickerson Ranch," "Faulkner," "Parks and Recreation," "Tourism," and "University Senate."
  • The files contain pertinent newspaper clippings from past issues of the Eagle and other newspapers, meeting agendas, flyers, photos, story lists, notebook paper sheets with notes written on them, and other documents.
  • No private correspondence or any documents labeled as confidential or secret found
Drawer 2 Contents
One (1) small cardboard box (Box 1) Contents:14 plastic knives, 20 plastic spoons, and 8 plastic forks, 6 plastic packets of parmesan cheese from Pizza Hut, 5 paper packets of salt, 9 paper packets of Sweet n Low, 14 coffee stirrers, 28 paper napkins
One (1) small cardboard box (Box 2) Contents: 16 Earl Grey tea bags, 7 peppermint tea bags, 11 ginseng tea bags
One (1) hairbrush  
Two (2) photographs
  • Photo 1 is of the newsroom staff in what appears to be Halloween attire
  • Photo 2 is of Rick Hughes in what appears to be a bar
One (1) 8-count box of tampons Unopened
One (1) barrette clipped to three (3) elastic ponytail holders  
One (1) bottle of Advil  
One (1) bottle of Pepto-Bismol  
One (1) roll of Tums tablets Three (3) tablets remaining
One (1) 3-count box of Trojan brand condoms Two (2) condoms remaining
One (1) toothbrush  
One (1) tube of toothpaste, almost entirely used  
One (1) small cardboard box (Box 3) Contents: paper clips and push pins
One (1) box of staples  
One (1) box of business cards Monica Drum, managing editor, Oxford Eagle
One (1) memo pad Oxford Eagle logo printed on the top
One (1) package of Bic ballpoint pens  
Drawer 3 Contents
Seven (7) Bic ballpoint pens  
One (1) Waterman fountain pen  
Three (3) pencils
  • Two (2) sharpened
  • One (1) unsharpened
Two (2) Hi-Liter pens
  • One (1) pink
  • One (1) green
112 paper clips  
Five (5) Post-It note pads  
Thirty-four (34) coins
  • Eighteen (18) pennies
  • Twelve (12) dimes
  • Four (4) nickels
Twenty-two (22) letter-sized envelopes Oxford Eagle logo and address printed in top left corner
Sixteen (16) sheets Oxford Eagle letterhead paper  
One (1) sheet of mailing labels Oxford Eagle logo and address printed on each label
One (1) memo pad Oxford Eagle logo printed on the top
One (1) package Trident Spearmint chewing gum Two (2) pieces remaining
One (1) package Big Red chewing gum Unopened
Six (6) business card-sized vouchers Redeemable for free drinks at Proud Larry's bar
Sixteen (16) Oxford Eagle time sheets Blank
One (1) reporter's notebook
  • Contains what appear to be notes from newspaper management meetings
  • Three (3) meeting agenda sheets folded in half and inserted between the pages.
  • No salary, hiring, or firing issues were on the agendas.
  • Handwriting in notebook is illegible.
Desk top
One (1) desktop computer and peripherals $1 bill taped to monitor
One (1) wire basket marked "In" Contents: approximately 86 items, including unopened correspondence, photos and negatives, blank obituary forms, and pink phone message slips, printouts from computer
One (1) blotter-sized desk calendar
  • June 2024
  • Four (4) coffee stains
  • No appointments written in
  • Taped to the desk underneath the blotter is a headline clipped from a newspaper: "Acquitted!"
One (1) issue of the June 15, 2024 edition of the Oxford Eagle  
One (1) smartphone  
One (1) pair of reading glasses  
Three (3) coffee mugs
  • All with Oxford Eagle logo printed on them
  • One (1) clean mug
  • Two (2) dirty mugs
Eighteen (18) Diet Coke cans Empty
One (1) stapler with staples  
One (1) tape dispenser with tape  
Three (3) Associated Press Stylebooks
  • 2024 edition
  • 2023 edition
  • 2020 edition
One (1) paperweight Tarantula spider encased in heavy plastic
One (1) Yoknapatawpha County map  

File Cabinet

File Cabinet Description – Grey, metal cabinet with two letter-sized drawers (Drawer 4, Drawer 5)

Location

Description / Remarks
Drawer 4 Contents
197 letter-sized manila folders with tabs
  • The folders appear to be labeled by topic and are arranged alphabetically.
  • The topics are similar to those found in Drawer 1, above, and contain documents of the same nature.
  • One file is labeled "Job Stuff" and includes three (3) versions of Monica Drum's resume and a collection of clipped newspaper articles, the most recent of which dates 5/24/2008;
  • Two (2) documents with plastic binding: Oxford General Plan, 2017-2027; Oxford Community Redevelopment Plan, 2017.
Drawer 5 Contents
53 letter-sized manila folders with tabs, stacked vertically
  • The folders appear to be labeled by topic and do not appear to be arranged in any particular order.
  • The folders contain newspaper clippings from 2012-2015.
  • Approximately 16 folders are empty;
  • Six (6) documents with plastic binding: Yoknapatawpha County Staff Directory, 2019; Master Supply Plan, Oxford Community Water Agency, 2022; Oxford City Budget, 2022-2023; Oxford City Budget, 2023-2024; Report of the Yoknapatawpha County Grand Jury, 2020; Yoknapatawpha County General Plan, 2023;
  • Three (3) fold-out maps of the Oxford area
Four (4) black-and-white photographs

Photos appear to have slipped out of their file folders or to have been otherwise misplaced.

  • Two (2) photos have slips of paper attached with captions typed on them: "Sidney the Clown and his pal Churro delight bystanders during Oxford's Fourth of July celebration"; "Melvin's Nite Owl convenience store."
  • One (1) photo has an adhesive label attached to the back and appears to be a publicity still for The Lerner Trio, a mandolin troupe.
  • The fourth photo is unlabeled and depicts Mayor Claire Windham and Sheriff Taylor Sheldon at a 2023 ribbon-cutting ceremony for the American Red Cross facility.
Top of File Cabinet
One (1) white ceramic flower vase, empty  
One (1) plant, dead  
One (1) portable radio/CD player Plugged in and turned off when the crime scene was secured
One (1) police scanner Plugged in and turned on when the crime scene was secured
Eight (8) letter-sized manila file folders, stacked vertically
  • The folders are labeled "Xmas", "Gambling", "Business briefs", "Campus crime", "Elections", "Renovations", "Poetry readings", and "Rotary happenings."
  • The folders contain newspaper clippings from past issues of the Eagle and the Daily Mississippian, press releases, public meeting agendas, flyers, and other documents.
  • There are no items which appear to be of a confidential or secret nature in these folders
One (1) woman's handbag

Contents:

  • One (1) small change purse containing $2.33 in change
  • One (1) small wallet with driver's license, VISA card, Yoknapatawpha County Library card, Disney Magic Kingdom Gold Card, Southnet health insurance card, social security card, Oxford Co-op card, High Point Coffee Roasters frequent buyer's card, $6 in single-dollar bills, $1.67 in change
  • Two (2) Bic ballpoint pens
  • One (1) compact mirror
  • One (1) pair of sunglasses
  • One (1) roll of Certs breath mints
  • One (1) Hershey's chocolate kiss, slightly flattened
  • One (1) small spiral-bound notebook
  • One (1) Minnie Mouse keyring with 21 keys

 

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