By Billy Davis

Panola County Chief Deputy Andy Estridge has stepped down due to lingering health problems, Sheriff Otis Griffin said last week.

The sheriff said Estridge’s official last day was August 31, though apparently he has been gone from the department for several weeks.  

Estridge has endured a heart condition for some time that was worsening, said Robbie Haley, an administrative assistant at the sheriff’s department.  

Griffin said he would not fill the chief deputy spot until November when the four-year sheriff’s term will be decided in the General Election.

Estridge oversaw the day-to-day operations of the department as chief deputy, though he was also known for his investigative work.

He brought a background with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, including work for the Miss. Bureau of Investigations, to the sheriff’s department. He served as a deputy since 2007 until he was promoted to chief deputy in 2009, when Griffin was named interim sheriff.  

“He was very much an asset to the Panola County Sheriff’s Department… His investigative abilities are legendary,” Griffin told The Panolian.

Estridge was paid $49,800 annually as chief deputy.