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Mississippi man sentenced in deaths of fiancée, police officer

By Kristopher White May 27, 2024 | 10:36 AM

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WJTV) – A Newton man was sentenced to life in prison after he pled guilty in connection to the deaths of his fiancée and a Meridian police officer.

The Meridian Star reported Dante Bender, a former Newton police officer, was sentenced on Wednesday, May 22.

Meridian Police Officer Kennis Croom, 30, was killed while responding to a call where a woman, Brittany Jones, was shot to death on June 9, 2022. Her fiancé, Bender, was arrested June 10 in Ackerman, Mississippi, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) north of Meridian.

During a plea hearing, Bender admitted to shooting Croom and Jones while under the influence of alcohol. He pled guilty to one count of capital murder and one count of murder in the first degree.

  • Dante Bender (Courtesy: MDOC)
  • Kennis Croom (Courtesy: Gov. Tate Reeves)

Bender was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.