By Rupert Howell
Michael Wright of Canton and formerly of Batesville last Thursday entered a guilty plea for second degree murder during a pre-trial screening in Panola County Circuit Court according to Assistant District Attorney Jay Hale.
Wright now faces murder charges in Hinds County where he will be transported according to Hale who said sentencing for the Panola County murder will take place after the Hinds County trial currently set for May.
In December of 2012 Wright was charged with the murder of  Cera White Cannon of Canton whose body was found Christmas Day at 671 Hwy. 51 South in Batesville.
A preliminary hearing in City of Batesville Municipal Court revealed that Cannon was reported to be missing and was suspected to be in Batesville with Wright. Her car was tracked and her body found at the location according to testimony by BPD Detective Jeremiah Brown during the January 2013 hearing.
Brown also testified in that hearing, “Michael turned himself in to the jail for strangling his girlfriend because he went back to check on her and she was cold.”
His attorney at the time, David Walker, asked for a reduction of Wright’s bond of  $1million. It was reduced to $500,000 with Walker stating, “He has no criminal history, he has family ties here and we ask the court for a bond reduction.”
He came up with $50,000 needed for the $500,000 bond and sought a court appointed attorney. Circuit Judge Jimmy McClure denied the request telling Wright that if he could afford to make the bond he should be able to hire an attorney.
In October of that year, Wright’s name again made headlines when Utica and Hinds County authorities were searching for him accusing him of murder and abduction. He was accused of abducting his current girlfriend and killing her uncle, Jerry Brent.
Panola and Batesville law enforcement were involved in watching for Wright after he disappeared thinking he may return to the area where he had numerous relatives prior to the search being turned over to the U.S. Marshall’s Office.
Wright was located in a shelter approximately two weeks later being run by a  McComb church where he had been staying for several days.
A trial was set for the Hinds County murder in Jackson earlier but after the trial date was continued he was brought to Panola County two or three weeks ago, according to Hale, where his trial was set for Monday of this week.
Prosecutors had talked with the family of  Cannon who agreed to the second degree murder plea agreement where Wright would face from 20 to 40 years incarceration.
 He, along with his attorney Joe Hollomon of Jackson agreed to the appeal last Thursday prior to the trial.