FREE CONTENT — Man charged with murder in case of woman found in river

By Paul Keane

The Wayne County News

Bond was set at $1 million cash for a man charged in the murder of a 
woman on July 6.

Phillip Roman Hayes, 28, of Turner Street in Waynesboro, made his 
initial appearance before Justice Court Judge Charles Chapman Thursday. 
He has been charged with first degree murder in the death of Brittany 
Knapp, who's body was removed from the Chickasawhay River on July 6.

Her body was sent to the Medical Examiner's for an autopsy, and the 
original ruling was the death was accidental. On Wednesday, Hayes turned 
himself over to authorities and confessed to the crime, according to 
officials.

"The Waynesboro Police Department received a call and went out to pick 
him up," said Wayne County Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Geoffery 
Clark. "The police department brought him to our office and we conducted 
an interview.

"He confessed to the shooting and putting her body in the river. He said 
he shot her in the neck."

Clark said the body was bloated by the time it was taken from the river, 
as hot temperatures contributed to that despite the fact that body had 
only been in the river for roughly 12 hours. The suspect said he picked 
Knapp — a resident of Forrest County who was in the area for medical 
treatment — shortly after midnight on July 6 and gave her ride.

"The medical examiner missed it originally, but they are going back 
through photos taken during the autopsy," Clark said. Knapp's body was 
cremated after being released to the family.

Clark said much of what was said in Hayes' statement was corroborated by 
deputies and investigators after the suspect was taken into custody.

Hayes lived in Wayne County until he was 13, according to what he said 
during the initial appearance Thursday, but he and his mother moved to 
Ohio. The suspect admitted to being in some trouble as a juvenile and 
but that he had straightened up his life in Ohio and had no felony 
charges nor convictions before this incident.

He said he made good grades and graduated from high school in 2019. He 
moved back to Wayne County roughly nine months ago.

Deputy Emily Revette, who dealt with the suspect after his arrest, 
echoed similar sentiments.

"He has given us no trouble and has been a very respectful young man," 
she said.

Hayes was employed at a local restaurant before his arrest.

Under questioning from Chapman, Hayes said he did not know the victim.

"You said you didn't know the victim," Chapman said. "You have taken 
away a daughter, possibly a mother, a niece. You took away something 
that had not been given to you.

"It is just a very sad situation, and myself and the Sheriff are getting 
tired of it."

"I turned myself in because I just felt it was the right thing to do," 
Hayes said. "My conscious was bothering me."

Hayes did request a preliminary hearing and asked for the state to 
appoint him an attorney.

After Chapman set bond at $1 million cash, Hayes was remanded to the 
Wayne County Adult Detention Center.