Man Indicted in Death of Teen Burned Alive

Jessica Chambers suspect was already in jail
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 24, 2016 2:39 AM CST
Man Indicted in Death of Teen Burned Alive
Quinton Tellis   (Ouachita Parish Sheriff)

More than 14 months and 150 police interviews after the horrific murder of Jessica Chambers, authorities believe they have found her killer. Quinton Tellis, a 27-year-old man in jail in Louisiana in connection with another murder, has been indicted on capital murder charges in the death of the 19-year-old, who was burned alive on a country road near Courtland, Miss., on Dec. 6, 2014, the Clarion-Ledger reports. Chambers, who had been doused in gasoline, was still alive when rescue workers found her and was able to speak a few words, but she died in a hospital within hours. Tellis went to high school with Chambers and sources tell WREG that he had an on-and-off relationship with her.

Tellis—who has served time in prison for burglary and finished his most recent sentence in October 2014—is in the Ouachita Parish Jail in Monroe, La., on charges related to the killing of Meing-Chen Hsiao, an exchange student from Taiwan, in August. Police say he used an ATM card belonging to the 34-year-old, who was stabbed to death in her apartment. He hasn't been charged with murder in that case, though sources say he is a suspect. "God knows I've been waiting a long time for this," Jessica's father, Ben Chambers, tells WTVM. "Nothing will bring Jessica back, but at least I'll know he will never do this to somebody else's daughter. It will bring closure. At least we will know who did it." (More Jessica Chambers stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X