'Death in the Deep South: The Mississippi Mob', an investigation into the notorious couple's murder in September 1987, owes much to the perseverance of the couple's oldest daughter, Lynne Sposito, and an FBI agent, Keith Bell.
Vincent and Margaret Sherry: What Happened to Their Death?
Vincent J. Sherry Jr. was born in Brooklyn in Kings County (Brooklyn) on February 10, 1929. His father was a commercial salesman. His law degree was obtained at the George Washington University Law School.
Colonel Sherry worked as an intelligence officer for seven years and as a judge-advocate for thirteen years at Page, Mannino, and Peresich, a law company located in Biloxi, Mississippi. He had taught political science and criminal justice at the University of Southern Mississippi for eight years.
Margaret Joyce Smith was born in Mooringsport, Louisiana, on July 10, 1929. She was the youngest of the couple's three children, and she attended Western Kentucky State College. She was a member of the Biloxi City Council from Ward VII, and she is planning to run again.
Vincent and Margaret Sherry, both 58, were shot point blank many times in the head by a hitman at their North Biloxi home on September 14, 1987. According to reports, the judge was shot three times in the face and his wife four times in the head. The same.22-caliber pistol was discovered two days later, on September 16.
Vincent and Margaret Sherry were murdered.
Vincent's wallet, Margaret's purse, and jewelry were not stolen from the Sherry residence, according to the program. What surprised the investigators the most was the absence of obvious signs of forced entry or break-in, as well as another tell-tale sign showing Vincent's body.
Keith Bell, a former FBI agent, explained that foam was a common material used to make silencers in the 1980s, implying that the murder weapon was equipped with a silencer. It meant even Margaret might not have heard the shots as the perpetrator murdered her husband a few rooms away before proceeding to murder her.
Vincent claimed to have received threats in the months leading up to the assassination, but he did not disclose any information about who made the threats. The investigators examined the papers of the office they shared with Peter and discovered disturbing phone records. More than 300 calls were made between their offices and the Angola State Penitentiary, where the former kingpin of the Dixie Mafia, Kirksey Mccord Nix, Jr.
Kirksey was sentenced to life without parole for the 1972 murder of Frank Corso, a New Orleans grocery executive. The most prominent of these was a "lonely hearts" scam intended to defraud gay men. The Advocate is a national LGBT publication.
Kirksey made millions, and his girlfriend, Sheri LaRa Sharpe, assisted in the operation. During the episode, Kirksey explained that he was attempting to make enough money to pay his way out of prison. However, Peter reportedly suggested that Vincent belonged to him. Mike Gillich Jr., a striptease club owner and Dixie Mafia's leader on the streets, hired a hitman from Texas to execute the two murders.
John Ransom, another gang member, gave the murder weapon to Sheri, who passed it on to Thomas. Vincent told the cops everything during a 1993 hearing after federal authorities planned to imprison his girlfriend on bribery charges, and Margaret was murdered as well.
What Has Happened to Peter Halat and The Dixie Mafia?
Peter was convicted in 1997 of conspiracy to commit racketeering, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison, and was released in 2013 after serving around 16 years.
Kirksey is serving life without parole in El Reno, Oklahoma, while Mike died of cancer in 2012. Thomas, the murder suspect, was sentenced to life without parole and died of natural causes in 2005. Both were convicted in 1991 on federal conspiracy charges related to the two killings.
