Suspects returned, face accessory charges

Published 12:00 am Thursday, September 4, 2003

NATCHEZ &045;&045; Two suspects jailed in connection with the July 28 death of John Vasser were returned Friday to the Adams County Jail from New Orleans.

Thomas Andrew Briggs and Kim Magyar, who face charges of accessory to capital murder, both signed extradition papers, Sheriff Tommy Ferrell said.

Briggs and Magyar, who were captured in New Orleans Aug. 11, were brought back to Adams County at about noon Friday.

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&uot;They’re being held without bond at the jail but, due to the (Labor Day) holiday, they won’t be arraigned until later next week,&uot; Ferrell said.

Meanwhile, Nathan Hogan, who faces a capital murder charge in connection with Vasser’s death and was captured by federal authorities Aug. 13, is still being held in New Orleans.

Hogan had agreed to sign extradition papers but, in a court hearing held Friday in New Orleans, refused to sign. That means Adams County authorities must seek extradition through the governor’s offices of Mississippi and Louisiana, which &uot;could take two months or more,&uot; Ferrell said.

If convicted of capital murder, Hogan could receive the death penalty.

Vasser body was found the morning of July 29, half-submerged in a pond near his house on Morgantown Road, and unofficial autopsy reports showed he died of gunshot wounds. There were signs of a violent struggle, authorities said.

Even before Vasser was found, the sheriff’s office was notified of a problem when Florida authorities contacted Ferrell to report that a man matching Hogan’s description had attempted to use one of Vasser’s credit cards there. Hogan, an acquaintance of Vasser’s, allegedly took Vasser’s car and credit cards the night of July 28 after being thrown out of the house.