News

MOST WANTED WOMAN ARRESTED IN GULFPORT, MISSISSIPPI

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Thursday, November 19, 2009 12:12 AM CST

A former Pine Bluff woman accused of stealing more than $150,000 from an elderly man was arrested Wednesday morning in Mississippi.

Jefferson County Sheriff’s Capt. Bernard Adams said Rebecca Hall Turchi, 46, was taken into custody by officers from the U.S. Marshal’s Service at an apartment in Gulfport, Miss., at about 9:30 a.m., where she was found hiding in a bathroom.

A Pine Bluff man, who was not identified or arrested, was reportedly with Turchi when the arrest was made.

Turchi, who was on the list of Jefferson County’s Most Wanted felons earlier this year, was taken to the Harrison County (Mississippi) Detention Center where she will be held on warrants issued by Jefferson County.

“We developed information here that they had been back and forth to Pine Bluff and Hot Springs and down there and we passed that along to the marshal’s service,” Adams said. “They were also reportedly frequenting the casinos and the marshal’s service found out they were staying at that apartment so the marshals set up surveillance and then went in and got her.”

Prosecuting Attorney Steve Dalrymple has charged Turchi with 17 counts of theft of property stemming from an investigation by police in 2008. A fugitive warrant was issued for her after she failed to appear for trial on May 20.

Police said Turchi befriended an 84-year-old man and after gaining his trust, told the man she had access to profitable stocks and securities she would sell to him.

The man reportedly bought more than $150,000 of those non-existent stocks and Turchi reportedly gave him forged documents she claimed to be the stocks.

The thefts reportedly occurred between Oct. 5, 2006, and June 20, 2008, police said.

Turchi, who has also been known as Rebecca C. Hall, Rebecca Caroline Hall, Rebecca C. Walters, Rebecca C. Moore, Rebecca Caroline Moore, and Rebecca Caroline Wilkins, had previous addresses in Pine Bluff and Hot Springs.

Adams said county authorities are waiting to see if Turchi will waive extradition voluntarily and return to the state, and if not, would begin extradition proceedings through the governor’s office.

Print this story   |   Email this story