Long term Pearl Hill resident Peggy Nowell was found brutally beaten behind the counter of community store, Pearl Hill Mini Mart.

Nowell’s store was robbed September 17 around 10 or 10:30 Friday morning.

Nowell will be missed by many students here at EAC.

“I’ll always remember Mrs. Peggy and her store. My grandpa took me there ever since I was young,” said senior and resident near the Pearl Hill community, Adam Walker.

Senior Justin Harrell also expressed his feelings about Nowell.

“She was a good Christian lady, and I loved her cooking,” he said.

Nowell was found beaten and unconscious by a customer around 10:35 a.m.

Sheriff Greg Waggoner arrived to find that she had suffered severe head wounds.

She was immediately transferred to Leake Memorial Hospital and later to the University Medical Center where she remained in a coma until she died the following Monday.

“It’s hard to believe that something like this has happened around here,” said junior and EHS staff member, Tyler Adcock.

Two days after Nowell’s death Sylvester Burkes, 22, of Lena was arrested and charged with capital murder and armed robbery for the alleged crime.

Burkes is currently being held in the Leake County jail on a million dollar bond.

Whether or not anyone else was involved still remains a mystery.

A thirty-five hundred dollar reward is being offered by the Nowell family to anyone who can give any evidence or information that will lead to another arrest.