Two jailed, one injured in ‘beating for hire’ case

Hancock County

Two men have been jailed and a third hospitalized in an apparent “contract hit” sparked by a romantic triangle, Hancock Sheriff Ricky Adam said.
Dallas Pinion, age 30, surrendered to authorities on Monday. He was charged with aggravated assault, which stems from a beating-for-hire scheme, Adam said in a press release.
This past Valentine’s Day, sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of an assault which took place in the parking lot of the Diamondhead Country Club, Adam said.
“The victim, a 26-year-old white male, suffered numerous injuries during the assault and was required to have surgery,” Adam said.
Investigators quickly identified Destin Johnson, 22, of Bay St. Louis as the assailant, Adam said. Johnson was arrested the next day, according to jail records.
“Further investigation by the sheriff’s office and the district attorney’s office revealed that Johnson and Pinion had entered into an agreement to assault the victim,” Adam said.
The victim’s name has not been made public, although officers said Tuesday he had been released from the hospital. “It was a personal deal – it actually had to do with a woman,” Chief Investigator Glen Grannon said Tuesday. “They got in the middle of a romantic deal with a female. I guess (Pinion) thought this was something that shouldn’t be going on.”
Pinion turned himself in at the Hancock County Public Safety Complex on Monday evening, Adam said, and later posted a $10,000 bond.
“To commit such a complicit act is reprehensible,” Adam said. “Behavior such as this will not be tolerated in Hancock County. I’m proud of the efforts of our investigators getting two arrests in this case.”I would also like to commend the district attorney’s office for their contributions and support in our investigation.”

By Geoff Belcher

The Sea Coast Echo