A tense 6½-hour standoff between a determined fugitive holed up in his attic and 40 entrenched lawmen surrounding his home came to a sudden end Monday night when Sam Seymore reportedly fell through the ceiling and then tried to make a run for it.
Tallahatchie County Sheriff Jimmy Fly said Seymore, 49, landed in a bedroom and dashed to and out the back door before being promptly apprehended outside by officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, who shot him with a Taser to subdue him. The sheriff said Seymore, who was unarmed, was taken into custody at 9:41 p.m.
Bearing visible "cuts and scrapes," Fly said Seymore was transported to the Charleston emergency room, where he was examined and treated. "He had the prongs from the Taser removed in the emergency room, as well," the sheriff noted.
Fly said Seymore is being held at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Tutwiler on a bond of $222,500 set Tuesday afternoon by 1st District Justice Judge Shannon van der Poel.
Seymore, who had eluded the clutches of law enforcement for about two months since leading them on an automobile chase through parts of three counties and escaping the net of an intense manhunt that followed, was apparently tripped up by his own misstep in the attic of the family home at 2738 Mississippi Highway 35 S., Holcomb — roughly 12 miles south of Charleston.
Fly said Seymore, who was already wanted in Tallahatchie County on petty larceny and burglary of a building charges dating to early February, now faces additional local charges of felony fleeing, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm.
He is charged in Yalobusha County with attempted aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer stemming from that July 10 chase, felony fleeing, felon in possession of a firearm and multiple grand larceny charges. Seymore was on probation for an earlier felony conviction that had landed him in state prison, noted Fly.
Fly said the Marshals Service, who had been actively involved in the search for Seymore, notified the Tallahatchie sheriff's office Monday morning that they were going to talk with the family at the Highway 35 South residence. Inside the home at the time were Seymore's mother, a sister and other family members, noted Fly.
"After talking with them, the marshals believed that Sam was there in the house, and later they were able to confirm that," he added.
About 3:10 Monday afternoon, the marshals requested that the sheriff's office send personnel to the scene and that an ambulance be dispatched and on standby as they attempted to execute search and arrest warrants, Fly said.
"During that time, they made several attempts to talk Sam out of the house," Fly said of the marshals. "Eventually, he barricaded himself in the attic and refused to come out."
At about 5:30 p.m., the decision was made to close a section of Highway 35 near the residence, which stands on the east side of the roadway. Sheriff's office vehicles and personnel established roadblocks on the highway about 75 yards north and south of the property. The state roadway was closed for more than four hours, forcing many motorists to turn around and seek alternative routes to their destinations.
"The highway was blocked just to be cautious, in case something happened," said Fly. "We just wanted to protect the public as much as we could. The road was opened up not long after Sam was taken into custody."
Just before 6, a Pafford ambulance that was posted at the north roadblock was called in closer to transport Seymore's mother away from near the residence. Other family members, including his sister, Rita Seymore, and his girlfriend, Emily Cockerham, also left the house, said Fly.
A short time later, a popping sound filled the air.
"It wasn't gunshots," explained Fly. "The marshals deployed tear gas canisters to try to get him to come out. They took every avenue they could to keep from sending people in, without knowing for sure whether or not he was armed."
It had been reported that Seymore previously made an ominous statement that he would never go back to prison, so officials did not know what to expect from him.
The marshals also employed an intercom system, usually preceded by a piercing alarm to get attention and then followed by a spoken message.
One such message heard from a roadblock at about 6:05 was, "Sam Seymore. Sam Seymore. U.S. marshals with an arrest warrant. Come to the door with your hands empty. Do it now." Another message proclaimed, "You need to come out now. We're not going away."
After Seymore was taken into custody, Fly said a search of the house turned up five guns, including a Remington 30-06 automatic rifle, a Remington model 870 12-gauge shotgun, a Rogue .22-caliber rifle, a Savage 30-06 bolt-action rifle and an American Tactical .22-caliber pistol.
"The shotgun was loaded, and the pistol was loaded with one in the chamber," said Fly. "The pistol was found on the floor right under the opening to the attic. We're not sure if it dropped out while he was getting into the attic or if he threw it out."
Fly said no weapons were found in the attic.
While checking the perimeter of the house at 10:20 p.m., Fly said a four-wheeler that had been reported stolen in Tallahatchie County was recovered.
Rita Seymore driver's license photo. (Courtesy Tallahatchie County Sheriff's Office)
Rita Seymore, 54, was charged locally with accessory after the fact, felon in possession of a firearm and receiving stolen property, the sheriff noted.
Fly said Cockerham, 37, was charged in Tallahatchie County with accessory after the fact, possession of a stolen firearm, and petty larceny and burglary of a building in the same February case as Sam Seymore. In Yalobusha County, she is charged with accessory after the fact, he noted. Officials said Cockerham had been in the vehicle with Seymore at the time of the July 10 chase, but she later surrendered.
Emily Cockerham photo after she surrendered to authorities on July 11, 2025. (Courtesy Tallahatchie County Sheriff's Office)
Like Sam, the two women were being held at the private prison in Tutwiler, the sheriff said. As of early Tuesday afternoon, no bond had been set for them, he added.
Asked about the agencies participating in Monday's operations, Fly said, "I don't want to miss anyone, because I'm very thankful for everyone who responded and helped us," but he did verify that in addition to the U.S. Marshals Service and Tallahatchie County Sheriff's Office, K-9 units from both the Batesville Police Department and the Mississippi Department of Corrections were on hand, as well as officials from the Yalobusha County Sheriff's Department.
"We also had Paynes Fire Department on scene just to have a fire truck close by in case we needed it for something," Fly noted.
In the final analysis, the sheriff said he was thankful "that everybody was safe and OK."
"I thank God for being with everyone. It could have been a bad incident," Fly stated. "I'm grateful for the marshals and their professionalism in helping us handle the situation. ... I am very grateful for everyone who assisted in this arrest."
