Mississippi man charged after threatening to kill man for reporting stolen camper

Jamie Carrillo, 40, of Tupelo, Mississippi, is currently being held in the Ozark County Jail on a $5,000 cash-only bond in connection with an Ozark County case involving an incident last fall. 

According to the probable cause statement, prepared by Ozark County Sheriff’s Lt. Matt Rhoades, at 7 p.m. Oct. 13, 2024, he and Deputy Gannon Moss were dispatched to a report of harassment and vehicle theft at Patrick Bridge in Tecumseh.

When the officers arrived, they met with the man, who said that he was at the Patrick Bridge campground checking on his campers when Carrillo arrived and started threatening him. The man said that he had known Carrillo before the incident and had actually turned him in to the Howell County Sheriff’s Office for stealing a fifth-wheel camper, which seemed to be the source of Carrillo’s agitation. 

The report says that the incident was captured on audio recording, and the officers heard the suspect threaten the victim for reporting him, saying “he has killed people for lesser offenses against him.”

The victim said he got into his vehicle and quickly fled the scene. Carrillo reportedly followed him, but the victim managed to lose him on the road by turning down a driveway and hiding. 

The report says that the victim had reported the stolen camper to HCSD earlier the same day, but when he made the report he did not have the title to the camper on him, and deputies said that they would need proof of ownership before they could list it as stolen. He said he found the title at his house but hadn’t taken it to the sheriff’s department yet. He gave the officers descriptions of the camper including damage to the side and doorsteps and other distinctive characteristics. He also gave specifics of the registration and gave the registered owner’s name. 

The man said that he feared for his life and believed the suspect was armed and would carry out the threats. 

“The victim was so distraught over the threats that he indicated that he would not be able to go back to his house until we caught suspect believing that the suspect would come to his house and kill him,” the document says. “The victim desired prosecution.”

The officers arrived back at Patrick Bridge campground to see if they could find the suspect and speak with other campers who may have witnessed the incident. 

“We contacted three witnesses at the campground but did not locate the suspect. They stated the suspect was at the campground to come by and see them. While he was there, he noticed the victim was messing with his camper, and the suspect went and confronted the victim, and they heard the yelling and some of the threats as well. One of the witnesses indicated that the suspect was staying with the stolen camper at the Bakersfield RV Campground behind Evans Kwik Stop on the hill,” the report says. 

The officers left Patrick Bridge and went into Bakersfield, where they were able to visually confirm that the stolen trailer was there and that the suspect had been seen there with the trailer for the past several days. He was not at the location at the time, and a VIN number search returned results to the registered owner who the victim indicated.

The officers stepped away from the trailer to better get cellphone reception and arrange for a tow truck to remove the trailer. During that time, Carrillo reportedly ran to the trailer on foot, grabbed several items from the trailer and ran away. The officers, standing a short distance away, were able to watch as he did it. They ran after him, caught him and detained him. 

He was Mirandized, and the officers asked him questions about the incident. 

“He did not have any proof of ownership. He stated he was working for the victim and living in the trailer, and he was paying the victim for the trailer through working for him,” the report says.

Carrillo admitted to going to the campground and threatening the victim, but he said he was just upset. He said he had a friend move the trailer to the campground a couple days before the officers arrived.

The trailer was secured and left for the victim to pick up the following morning, and the suspect was transported to jail and booked for stealing and harassment. 

Carrillo is charged with receiving stolen property, harassment and tampering or attempting to tamper with a victim in a felony prosecution. He is scheduled to appear for a bond reduction hearing at 9 a.m. Feb. 11.