PANOLA COUNTY, Miss. — WREG has new information about the man indicted in the killing of Jessica Chambers including new details about their relationship.
WREG has learned the suspect is 27-year-old Quinton Tellis.
He’s from Courtland, Mississippi in Panola County where Chambers is from.
Right now, Tellis is in jail in Monroe, Louisiana.
He’s charged in connection with another killing. This time of a college foreign exchange student.
Tellis is accused of using the victim’s bank card.
Authorities said he is not charged with her murder, but he is a suspect.
As for his connection to Jessica Chambers, a source close to her confirms she and Tellis dated off and on.
According to Facebook, Tellis married another woman in August just before he was arrested in Monroe.
It’s not clear if and when he’ll be extradited to Mississippi.
The news of the indictment is something the Chambers family has waited more than a year to hear.
Her father said he found out about the indictment Tuesday morning.
He said he broke down in tears hoping to finally get justice for his daughter.
“Emotions can’t describe how I feel,” said Ben Chambers. “You look around and think, ‘Did this person have something to do with it? Did that person have something to do with it?'”
In December 2014, Jessica Chambers was doused with gasoline and set on fire in her car on a rural road in Panola County.
Investigators said 98 percent of her body was burned. She died hours later in the hospital.
Over the next 14 months, federal, state and local investigators gathered evidence and unveiled everything to a Grand Jury Monday and Tuesday.
The Grand Jury decided there was enough evidence to indict.
“They always said it was coming, you know, but sometimes it seemed like it was taking longer than it should,” said Ben Chambers. “I know they were working on it hard. Every day.”
Ben Chambers heard investigators figured out the timeline that night too.
“They never gave up on it. Thank God for that,” said Ben Chambers.
People in Jessica Chambers’ hometown of Courtland and across the globe have been following the mystery.They’ve offered prayers and support to the family.
“It was a hurtful thing for everybody. She was a good girl,” said David Jackson, who knew Jessica Chambers.
Wednesday, we may finally get some answers when the District Attorney, Sheriff and Investigators hold a press conference.
“Nervous. I mean real nervous. Can’t wait until [Wednesday] gets here to find out,” said Ben Chambers.
He said he’s already been told by the DA though, not every question will be answered.
“He told me that I would probably would never get what I wanted. What a 19-year-old could do to you to do that? Mr. Champion said I probably won’t ever get that, won’t ever get why.”
