Murder suspects arraigned

Published 12:00 am Saturday, September 4, 2010

NATCHEZ — Three men charged in the 2009 death of Terry Lynn Farmer have been arraigned on charges of murder, attempted rape and arson.

Willie Duck, 33, 445 Hooker St., Fayette; Quentin M. Smith, 33, 308 Harper St., Fayette and Boris D. Ward, 37, 3357 Stampley Road, Fayette, appeared before Judge Jim Blough in Natchez Municipal Court. The three men remain in the Natchez City Jail without bond.

“Bond will be considered in a separate bond hearing whenever they request it,” Blough said.

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The men’s next scheduled court appearance is at 9 a.m. Oct. 5 for a preliminary hearing.

Ward will have an attorney appointed by the court, while Duck and Smith have indicated they will hire their own attorneys, Blough said.

Farmer’s body was found after a fire was extinguished at her house on Shadow Lane. Natchez Police investigators believe the fire was intentionally started to destroy evidence.

Adams County Coroner James Lee said Farmer’s autopsy revealed the cause of death to be blunt trauma to the head and a gunshot wound to the head.