Suspect arrested after police find missing person dead in wooded area of South Mississippi

Authorities arrested a 22-year-old man this week after officers found a missing Pascagoula resident dead in a wooded area in Moss Point, police said.

Johnny William Anderson, 22, of Moss Point, was arrested Wednesday. He is being held in the Jackson County jail on a murder charge.

Anderson is accused of killing 28-year-old Spencer Watson. Authorities found Watson’s body at 11 a.m. Wednesday in a wooded area off Baywood Drive in Moss Point, police said in a news release.

Watson’s family reported him missing to Pascagoula Police on Wednesday morning, the news release said.

Pascagoula Police contacted Moss Point detectives about the case because residents had reported gunshots on Monday near Baywood Drive and River Pine Road, the news release said.

Watson’s autopsy will likely take place Friday or early next week, Deputy Coroner James Prisock said.

Prisock said Watson was shot twice and likely died Monday night, around the time Moss Point police got reports of shots fired.

Anderson is awaiting an initial court appearance; his bond had not been set as of Thursday morning.