Six Mississippi shooting victims identified in Tate County, MS, investigation ongoing

The six victims who died in a mass shooting in Tate County, Mississippi, have been identified.

The victims were Chris Boyce, 60, siblings John Rorie, 59 and Charles Manuel, 76, George McCain, 73, Lynda McCain, 78, and Debra Crum, 60.

Ernie Lentz, the deputy coroner of Tate County, confirmed the identities of the victims with The Commercial Appeal Saturday.

Debra Crum was the ex-wife of shooting suspect Richard Dale Crum. George and Lynda McCain were relatives of Richard Dale Crum.

Richard Dale Crum has been charged with first-degree murder and other charges are likely, the department said on Facebook. Crum is being held without bail in the county jail.

MISSISSIPPI SHOOTING:Tate County, MS, shooting spree leaves six dead, shooter in custody

The shooting, which happened within the small unincorporated town of Arkabutla, occurred during the day Friday. The town has roughly 300 residents and is situated just south of Arkabutla Lake, a popular destination for fishing.

Residents told The Commercial Appeal the area has a small-town feel.

According to Shannon Brewer, a dispatcher for the Tate County Sheriff's Department, the investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. Federal and state agencies were on hand Friday, investigating the initial aftermath of the shooting, which was spread out over three crime scenes in the Arkabutla area.

According to an Associated Press/USA Today database, the incident is the first mass killing in the U.S. since Jan. 23. A mass-killing is defined as one that leaves four or more people dead, not including the perpetrator. The rampage is among the deadliest shootings in Mississippi history.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Mississippi shooting victims who died identified in Tate County, MS