McKenzie Sessoms deserves justice. The 11-year-old’s death remains unsolved, and a murderer roams free in Sampson County, and has done so since 2013.
That, alone, should send a shiver running down one’s body, a reaction that should meet the anger rising up from within us. It’s an anger that should be borne out of the reality that not only is a killer on the loose but that there’s been no justice for the young girl whose life was ended far too soon.
McKenzie Sessoms was an elementary student when someone strangled her to death back in 2013. Her lifeless body was found lying on the couch of the home she shared with her family. An autopsy showed she had also been sexually assaulted.
And while Sampson County Sheriff’s Department investigators made an arrest in the case within six months of the tragedy, it was determined far later that they had the wrong person behind bars. Now, a guardian for Trey Jones has settled a civil rights lawsuit against the state, Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton and some of his officers to the tune of $10 million, ending that portion of this long-time case.
While the court settlement provides Jones some justice, there has still been none for little McKenzie Sessoms.
McKenzie’s death remains unsolved, and while law enforcement officials, from the county’s district attorney to Thornton, himself, insist this isn’t a cold case, there has still been no public leads revealed and no suspect locked behind bars since Jones’ exoneration and release. And while the case might be on the active investigation list, the trail, in our humble estimation, seems to be winding down a very dusty road, with time quickly covering up memories and possibly evidence along the way.
In an attempt to revive the case and, hopefully, nudge someone to come forward with information about a possible suspect or evidence that might lead to a suspect, we have tried to keep the case in the forefront of the public’s mind, seeking information when we can.
Until this week, Thornton hasn’t been legally able to talk much about the case because of the lawsuit. Thursday he reiterated that the case was never considered a cold one and was actively being worked by his office. Like everyone, Thornton wants justice served.
District Attorney Ernie Lee, who represents the Fifth Prosecutorial District, which includes Sampson, has also said he wants justice for McKenzie and her family.
We do, too. In fact, everyone in this county should want justice for this little girl.
For that to be possible, those who can, like this newspaper, should talk about what happened to McKenzie Sessoms, ask questions about the case and insist, as we are doing now, that it remain at the forefront of investigators’ minds.
Someone knows something. DNA evidence exists, and while it exonerated one suspect, it has the power to convict another.
Who that other person is, we don’t know. And we won’t know until movement is made.
Lee said there is no statute of limitation in murder cases, so there is little reason not to do all that can humanly be done to solve this case and bring the closure Lee and Thornton said the Sessoms family deserves.
We urge anyone with information about this case to come forward, but even if no one does, we implore investigators to reexamine the files, searching for that one clue that could make the difference in this case.
McKenzie deserves that diligence.