A Mississippi man wanted in connection with the murder of an elderly Louisiana priest, was arrested in Polk County on Tuesday.
31-year-old Jeremy Wayne Manieri, the suspect, is believed to have murdered 70-year-old Father Edward Everitt of Hammond, Louisiana, and fled that state, investigators said.
Polk County investigators were contacted yesterday, July 12, alerting them that Manieri was believed to be driving Everitt’s 2011 silver Chevrolet, missing from the homicide scene in Waveland. Police advised detectives the vehicle had been tracked using a security system Onstar.
Detectives learned that Manieri had registered as a guest at the Days Inn Hotel located at 9240 Highway 192 Davenport with his ex-wife and their two children.
Polk County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, along with PCSO Homicide detectives, went to the hotel where Manieri was taken into custody without incident in the pre-dawn hours, Tuesday, July 12.
Detectives who interviewed Manieri said he provided a full confession to the homicide.
Manieri is a Registered Mississippi Sex Offender and has an outstanding warrant for Grand Theft Auto out of Escambia County, Florida. He has a a number of other criminal arrests, including credit card fraud and false information to a law enforcement officer.
Detectives do not believe that Manieri’s ex-wife had any knowledge of the homicide.
Manieri is being held at the Polk County Jail.
