A Grenada pastor and school bus driver who has been behind bars for more than two months on child sex charges was found dead Wednesday morning.
According to Grenada County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ricky Williamson II, correctional officers discovered the body of Everett Lynn Welch Sr., pastor of Enon Baptist Church and Grenada County School District bus driver, "deceased" in his cell on Wednesday, May 27. Welch has been behind bars at the Grenada County Adult Detention Center since his mid-March arrest.
Welch’s last court appearance was on April 9, where his bond was increased to $450,000 after a new charge was filed against him. He was led in handcuffs from the Grenada County Jail to Justice Court to appear before Western District Justice Court Judge Vincent “Vince” Marascalco.
Everett Welch Sr. is escorted into Justice Court on April 9. | Photo by Adam Prestridge © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Welch was previously arrested March 15 on warrants for Touching of a Child for Lustful Purposes and Statutory Rape, which carried bonds of $100,000 and $250,000 respectively. During the April 9 hearing, Marascalco was presented with an additional count of Touching of a Child for Lustful Purposes and applied another $100,000 bond, bringing Welch’s total bond to $450,000.
The discovery of Welch’s body remains under investigation.
“No further comments will be made at this time,” Williamson concluded.
