A Batesville woman will spend six years in federal prison for planting homemade bombs on her ex-boyfriend’s car.
On June 20, 2025, the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a suspicious package on top of a vehicle. When officers arrived, they took the package, which the intended victim had obtained, for further investigation.
Three days later, the sheriff’s office requested assistance from multiple bomb-specialist agencies. They discovered that the package contained a live, homemade explosive device. Through their joint investigation and search, the home of 29-year-old Christina Willis, a Panola County resident, emerged as a suspect.
A search warrant discovered bomb-making materials, firearms, narcotics, and an additional explosive device, which was safely detonated by bomb technicians. Willis was later arrested and charged with attempted murder and planting a bomb or explosive device on Aug. 5, 2025. However, on Thursday, she was only sentenced for the crimes to which she pleaded guilty – possession of bombs.
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“We live in a wonderful country, but it’s still a dangerous world, as confirmed by this case. When bombs are being produced, an all-hands-on-deck response is required, which is what happened in this case,” U.S. Attorney Scott Leary said.
“Federal, state and local law enforcement worked closely together in this coordinated investigation. The ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives) and FBI working with the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office, the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, the Yalobusha County Sheriff’s Office, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Tupelo Police Department – this is what a successful investigation looks like. Well done.”
U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mills sentenced Willis to 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
