Man held in murder of mother
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, September 3, 2003
An Orrville man charged with the death of his mother currently awaits his first court appearance in the Dallas County Jail.
Karl Allen Rayford, 52, is charged with the murder of his mother, Sena Rayford, 74, of Orrville. According to Dallas County Sheriff Harris Huffman Jr., investigators arrested Rayford after interviewing him late Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
Around 10:45 p.m. Saturday dispatch received a call to Rayford’s address about an unresponsive person. Paramedics from Haynes Ambulance of Selma were already present when deputies arrived.
Both Rayford and his mother lived at the same address.
Sergeants Burt Allison and Mike Tillery brought Rayford into custody around 12:30 a.m. and interviewed him at the Sheriff’s office. Rayford was then brought to the Dallas County Jail.
Sena Rayford was brought to a local funeral home before being transported to the state Department of Forensic Sciences. Huffman said he expects written autopsy reports in three to four weeks. A phone call giving preliminary reports should come in sooner.
Rayford is currently being held under no bond, but is expected to stand before Dallas County District Court Judge Nathaniel Walker sometime this week for a first call hearing and possibly a bond hearing.
According to Fourth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Ed Greene, Rayford’s first call hearing could occur today. The first call hearing gives defendants the opportunity to stand before a magistrate and be informed of the charges they face. It also could be the chance for a bond to be set for Rayford.
Greene said he expected Rayford’s case to reach the grand jury by late September or early October.