MS Coast woman arrested on murder charge after man dies of stab wounds, authorities say

A woman from Long Beach turned herself in and was arrested Thursday morning after deputies found a man dead from stab wounds, authorities said.

Daphne Zeringue, 55, of Long Beach is facing one count of first degree murder.

Harrison County sheriff’s deputies responded around 4 a.m. Thursday to the 21000 block of Daugherty Road in Long Beach and found a man dead inside a home, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer identified the victim as Gary Cooper, 68, of Long Beach.

What led to the alleged attack is still unclear. Hanna Hendry, a public information officer for the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, said investigators so far had uncovered no ongoing disputes between Cooper and Zeringue.

Cooper died of multiple stab wounds. Switzer said Cooper had recently been released from the hospital with health issues, and was also on oxygen.

The home where authorities found Cooper was on a property where multiple people come and go as they please and sometimes stay in rooms, cars or sheds, Hendry said.

Zeringue and Cooper had both stayed on the property before, according to Hendry. She said it was not clear how well they may have known each other.

Other people who were at the home during the attack pointed investigators toward Zeringue as a suspect, Hendry said. Hendry said authorities were still at the home when Zeringue turned herself in Thursday morning at the Long Beach Police Department.

Hendry also said local authorities knew Zeringue before the alleged attack. She said Zeringue is from the area, had encountered deputies during traffic stops and recently asked deputies about some roadwork.

Zeringue is being held in the Harrison County jail on a $1 million bond.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

This story was originally published January 16, 2025 at 11:20 AM.