Bartlett police search here for evidence in Oct. murder

By Rupert Howell
It was the last days of October 2016 when Bartlett, Tenn. police assisted by Panola County Sheriff’s Department was looking for “evidence” in the Courtland area.
Nearly five months later that “evidence” may have been located near a bridge on Benson Road in Long Creek in the form of body remains in a bag.
If the remains prove to be who officials suspect, Bartlett Police Department will take possession. A team of Bartlett searchers  with a cadaver dog combed a grid surrounding the remains’ location Thursday according to Detective Colonel Barry Thompson with Panola County Sheriff’s Department.
Bartlett PD investigator Captain Christopher Page said back in October, “My office is currently working a homicide investigation and we believe our suspect, who is currently deceased, may have ties to the Panola County area. It is also believed that he may have transported evidence to the Panola County area.”
The suspect, Marcus Perry,  was found dead at his Bartlett home October 11with a gun in his hand. Perry was the last man to see Sanjay Patel on October 3. Perry was a regular customer of Patel’s at 5 Star Wine and Spirits in Bartlett.
Perry also had relatives nearby the Courtland location where the last ping of Patel’s phone was recorded.
Patel was missing and Bartlett PD found evidence on Perry’s phone that suggested that Patel was dead, which according to one official was a picture with Patel shot in the head.
The last ping’s location from around the Courtland area near Highway 35 was searched but Sheriff Dennis Darby noted it was a very large area, ”It was a five-mile radius,” and after efforts were exhausted officials predicted a body dumped there may only be found during the upcoming deer season.
Thompson lives nearby and said predators probably moved the bag in sight over time.
According to Thompson a tarp-type clothes bag was noticed in the area by landowners in January and over the past weekend property owners decided to check its contents.
“They weren’t too happy with what they found,” according to Thompson who said predators, probably dogs or coyotes, had scattered bones and bone fragments “everywhere.”
Thompson explained that Bartlett PD was doing the grid search because, “We (Panola County SO) think its their body.”
Evidence found early in the investigation indicated the victim was shot in the head. Sheriff Darby noted the skull found had an hole in the rear of skull.
Thompson further explained that Panola County would have to retain custody of remains until positive identification is made.
“Gracie (Panola County Coroner Gracie Grant-Gullege) has possession of the remains now,” Thompson said Tuesday prior to the grid search.