2 White Brothers Shot in the Head by Jealous Black Before He Torched Their Home

WREG
February 20, 2014

A man is being held in the deaths of two brothers found inside their burned home in Corinth, Miss.

Investigators say the two brothers, 66-year old James Copeland and 64-year old Jerry Copeland, had each been shot in the head before their house was set on fire.

The fire was reported the morning of February 13th.

Corinth police say the murders and arson were allegedly an act of revenge by 28-year-old Sirdon Greer.

The tragic deaths of the Copelands was hard enough to handle, but details on why they died has left neighbors in shock.

In 2011, Vietnam veteran James Copeland shared with News Channel Three his joy of being reunited with a daughter he fathered while serving in the war.

“I’m glad that I was able to find her and we got the future to look forward to,” James Copeland said in 2011.

But two-and-a-half-years later, the 66-year old man’s hopes have come to a tragic end.

Thursday morning, he and his younger brother Jerry were found dead in the ashes of their Corinth home.

Sheila Dotson lives next door to the Copelands’ burned out home.

She didn’t hear any gunshots and didn’t know anything was wrong until she heard the sounds of Corinth firefighters.

“Unbelievable, unbelievable. I just couldn’t believe it and still can’t believe it,” said Dotson.

Sheila and her husband Jimmy have been the Copelands’ neighbors for many years.

“James and Jerry were good people. And James just had a heart of gold. He was one of the sweetest people you’d ever want to talk to,” said Dotson.

Police say the fire was no accident.

They took 28-year-old Sirdon Greer into custody and plan to charge him with two counts of murder and arson.

Police allege Greer wanted revenge for a domestic situation involving Greer’s wife and Jerry Copeland’s son.

Police said the two men were each shot in the head and died before the fire was set.

Ron Harris has knows Sirdon Greer and said just can’t connect the man with the crime.

“‘Cause he’s a nice guy, very nice guy, respectful and he’d help anybody out,” said Ron Harris.

Jimmy Dotson also served in Vietnam and frequently spent time talking with James Copeland about their tours of duty in Southeast Asia.

Dotson called his neighbor’s death a real tragedy, because Copeland was always eager to speak about his Amer-Asian daughter and the time he planned to spend with her.

“It really meant a lot to him. His child, that’s what he wanted to talk about all the time, he really did,” said Jimmy Dotson.