Two McComb residents have been arrested and charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of 29-year-old Cort Gatlin, whose body was found in the Bogue Chitto River on Thursday.
Pike County Chief Sheriff’s Investigator Greg Martin said Anthony J. Dauden, 25, of 8271⁄2 Earl St., and Bridget A. Dillon, 26, 809 Avenue E., were arrested Saturday by McComb police. Both are being held without bond in the Pike County jail.
Martin also confirmed this weekend that the state medical examiner’s office told Pike County officials that Gatlin had suffered three gunshot wounds to the head.
“We haven’t gotten all the physical evidence back from lab and we don’t have an official report, but they confirmed verbally he was shot,” he said.
Because Martin has not received a full autopsy report, he is unsure what type of gun was used in Gatlin’s death.
Gatlin, of 809 Avenue E, had been reported missing and was last seen on Aug. 26. His body was recovered from Thursday around 6 p.m. just south of Alford’s Bridge near Alford’s Bridge Road in Pike County.
Martin said the female suspect gave her last name as Dillon. However, her Facebook page lists her as Bridget Dillon-Dauden. Gatlin and Dillon’s East McComb addresses are the same.
Martin could not confirm reports that Gatlin’s body was also bound with duct tape and burned, although he said there were reports of some type of tape being used.
Gatlin’s brother, Edward Gatlin, told WLBT-TV that burned clothing was found near the area where Gatlin’s body was found.
Martin said he could not release any further details about the case because “it’s an active homicide investigation.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 783-6767 or CrimeStoppers at 684-0033.
