262: Jerome Lorrain and Joe Nicholson – Miss-A-Bama Murder

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In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, retired agent Jerome Lorrain and former Safe Streets Task Force officer Joe Nicholson review a kidnapping and murder investigation.

In 2001, David Cannon abducted and bludgeoned to death Thomas Earl Beasley, III. Cannon and Beasley met at the Miss-A-Bama Saloon. Cannon became enraged after Beasley allegedly made a sexual pass at him. Beasley’s body was later found in a pond in rural Alabama.

The SSTF worked the case and consensually recorded a conversation between a confidential informant and Cannon, wherein Cannon admitted to the murder. The Mobile Division Evidence Response Team (ERT) and the FBI Lab conducted forensic examinations that were significant to the successful prosecution.

This case was tried prior to the Matthew Shepard/James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act that amended the Federal Civil Rights Statue to include Hate Crimes involving Gender, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation or Disability.

Cannon is serving a life sentence in a federal penitentiary. Jerome Lorraine is currently writing his memoir featuring many more cases he worked with the SSTF.

Special Agent (Retired)

Jerome Lorrain

1/1991 – 3/2021

“He blatantly said, ‘I wish I’d tied another brick on his ass.’ We looked at each other and thought, that statement is going to be a major piece of evidence.”—Retired Agent Jerome Lorrain

Retired agent Jerome Lorrain served in the FBI for 30 years. Assigned primarily to the Jackson Division’s Pascagoula, Mississippi Resident Agency, where he led a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF) investigating drug trafficking organizations, street gangs and violent crimes. He was also the team leader for FBI hostage negotiators in Mississippi.

Safe Streets TFO (Former)

Joseph W. Nicholson

Joseph Nicholson has worked in law enforcement for the past 28 years. Currently, he is the Director of Narcotics for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Pascagoula, Mississippi. He served as a task force agent with the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF) in Pascagoula for 14 years. Prior to his law enforcement career, he served in the United States Army, 27^th Infantry Regiment.

The following are images and articles about the kidnapping and murder of Thomas Earl Beasley, III after he got a ride from David Cannon at the Miss-A-Bama Saloon:

WLOX.com – 1/13/2002: Authorities Make Arrest In Eight-Month-Old Murder Case

Sun Herald Newspaper – 2002: Police arrest honeymooner

Mississippi Press – 2002: Investigator says sexual advance led to slaying

WLOX.com – 2/12/2002: Murder Case Goes To Grand Jury

Click here to listen to more FBI Retired Case File Review episodes featuring violent crime investigation.