Local suspected of hindering prosecution of felony dies

Everton’s James F. Maggard, Sr. dies awaiting trial
 
A man who was alleged to have hindered the prosecution of a felony in which both his wife and son were accused of participating, has died. James Freddie Maggard, of Everton, died on Friday, Nov. 6, at the age of 54. A cause of death was not immediately available.
Maggard was arrested on Jan. 4 of this year for allegedly harboring his wife, Wanda Maggard to prevent her from being apprehended; he was released the same day.
Typically, when a suspect in a case dies before coming to trial, their file is sealed. As of press time, Maggard Sr.’s case remained active, and he was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, Dec. 10.
James F. Maggard Jr., son of Maggard Sr. and Wanda Maggard, is accused of
 participating in drugging and raping a woman in Everton with four other men. Wanda Maggard allegedly helped to watch the woman afterwards while Maggard Jr. allegedly committed “push-out” thefts in Springfield.
Earlier this year, the Lawrence County Record reported that a deputy investigating the rape and kidnapping case, in which Wanda Maggard and James Maggard Jr. are suspects, approached Maggard Sr. around Aug. 26. The deputy reported that Wanda Maggard wasn’t at home and Maggard Jr. didn’t live at the residence. The deputy asked Maggard Sr. about a car parked in the driveway which was identified as belonging to Maggard Jr. Maggard Sr. allegedly told the deputy that the car belonged to Maggard Jr.’s girlfriend.
On Sept. 16, the deputy again spoke to Maggard Sr. at the Lawrence County Detectives’ interview room. The deputy reported he asked Maggard Sr. if he knew where Wanda Maggard was, but Maggard Sr. replied, “I am not here about that.” He allegedly also claimed not to know where Wanda Maggard was and “refused to bring his wife into talk about the investigation.”
Wanda Maggard was taken into custody on Oct. 19, 2019. According to online court documents, she was released with ankle-monitoring equipment and is currently under house arrest. She is scheduled to go to trial on charges of first-degree rape, first-degree assault and first-degree kidnapping in Stone County on Monday, April 26, 2021.
James F. Maggard, Jr. is charged with two counts of first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping and delivery of a controlled substance. His whereabouts could not be immediately confirmed. His last scheduled hearing, which was to take place on Oct. 7, was canceled, according to online records; no new hearing was scheduled as of press time.