A Gautier man has been charged with murder today after police found a woman dead in her Ocean Estates home.

Marius Markee Kirkland, 23, was charged and is being held at the Jackson County jail pending an initial appearance before Municipal Judge Jason Thornton.

Gautier Police said they responded to a call to check on the welfare of a resident of Ocean Estates who reported had been assaulted. When they arrived at the home, they found Amanda Fallon Perkins, 23, dead.

Gautier investigators sought to speak to Kirkland about Perkins' death and enlisted the help of other local law enforcement to locate him.

Kirkland was found a short time later in Pascagoula and tried to flee from Pascagoula Police before he wrecked his vehicle and was taken into custody.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to call Gautier Police at 497-2486 or Mississippi Coast Crime-Stoppers at 877-787-5898.