Ivory James Welch III, a man suspected in a Mother’s Day triple homicide in Mississippi, was shot and killed Monday in a gunfight with Arizona state troopers, authorities confirmed.
Welch was declared dead at the scene on U.S. 191 in Greenlee County, southeastern Arizona. According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety, troopers identified Welch’s vehicle and attempted to pull him over. Welch exited the vehicle with a firearm, prompting troopers to fatally shoot him.
Welch had been on the run after being identified as the suspect in the murders of his mother and two sisters on Mother’s Day. The incident occurred at a home in Ridgeland, Mississippi, about 12 miles north of Jackson. The victims were identified as Ida Thomas Welch, 76; Vicky Renee Welch, 56; and Crystal Lynn Welch, 42, all of whom sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
Police were alerted to the Ridgeland home around 3:30 p.m. on Mother’s Day. The motive for the killings has not been determined, and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Ridgeland Police Department.
The manhunt for Welch began with a warrant issued for his arrest. Arizona state troopers encountered Welch on Monday after receiving a tip about his location. Authorities located Welch around 10 a.m. on U.S. 191 between Morenci and Clifton, Arizona. When troopers stopped Welch’s vehicle, he fired at them, leading to his death in the ensuing gunfight. No troopers were injured in the incident.
