2 Nuns Killed in Mississippi

Two nuns were found murdered in their home in Durant, Mississippi on Thursday, apparently the victims of a break-in, police say. The victims were identified as Sister Margaret Held and Sister Paula Merrill, both 68-year-old nuns who worked as nurses and helped the poor. They were reportedly stabbed by an unknown intruder, and were found Thursday morning after not showing up for work at a nearby clinic. No details have been released on a suspect, but police say they recovered a car stolen from the home during the break-in, and a crime lab is due to examine it for forensic evidence. It is not clear if their religious work played any role in the murder. Lisa Dew, who managed the Lexington Medical Clinic where the victims worked, told the AP that the entire community would be affected by the shocking murder. “I think their absence is going to be felt for a long, long time. Holmes County, it’s one of the poorest in the state,” she said. “There’s a lot of people here who depended on them for their care and their medicines. It’s going to be rough.”