Fugitive grandpa accused of kidnapping extradited to Lee County

TUPELO - Douglas Mills, a 54-year-old man from Barbourville, Kentucky, wanted for kidnapping his grandchildren in Shannon two years ago, has been returned to Lee County to face felony charges. The arrest occurred on February 20, 2023, when Mills was stopped by a Kentucky state trooper during a routine traffic stop, revealing that he was a fugitive wanted since June 2024.

Initially refusing extradition to Mississippi, Mills eventually signed a waiver, which facilitated his return to Lee County. He was booked into the Lee County Adult Jail on March 25, following the extradition process. The kidnapping incident transpired on March 7, 2023, when Mills, armed with a gun, forcibly entered his daughter's home and abducted his three grandchildren, aged 2, 6, and 8. He was accompanied by two female accomplices, Vanessa Hensley Cox and Shelia Michelle Hood.

The three suspects were apprehended while traveling towards Kentucky, just an hour away from their destination, after a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer stopped them based on a report of the kidnapping. The children were safely returned to their mother soon after the intervention, but it took over a week to return Mills and his associates to Lee County. After their arrest, Mills was initially held on a $1 million bond, while the bonds for Hood and Cox were set at $250,000 each.

In June 2023, a Lee County grand jury indicted Mills, Hood, and Cox on three counts of kidnapping each. Hood appeared for her arraignment but was released on a $50,000 bond, while Mills and Cox did not return for their arraignment. Consequently, a capias arrest warrant was issued for them in June 2024, mandating that they remain in custody without bond until their hearing.

As of now, Mills has been returned to Lee County, but Cox remains a fugitive. The Lee County Sheriff's Office continues to search for her whereabouts, stating that they believe she is still somewhere in Kentucky.