MS city mourning death of beloved rooster, arrest made for his murder

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The murder of a celebrity rooster in a small city in Mississippi has sparked outrage, outpourings of adoration, promises of revenge, murals in memory of the animal - and a population in mourning. The bird, named Carl, was a mainstay on the streets of Ocean Springs - a scenic city of 18,000 on Mississippi's Gulf coast.

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He was known to strut about town, spinning a regular route that involved a morning stop at the local bagel shop, sips of water at a few coffee shops and even a visit to classes at the fitness center.

The rooster was personable and friendly, approaching people and posing for photographs, and nestling down for naps on regular railing perches throughout town.

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But Carl was snatched from his perch before being killed by a female corrections officer and later dumped in a parking lot. His body is still missing.

News of Carl's death was met with an outpouring of public adoration perhaps unseen in the region since the death of Elvis. Wreaths of carnations were laid on perches where Carl liked to sleep, and by the doorways of shops he frequented. Children wrote letters of love to Carl and taped them in windows throughout the city, and a local artist began a mural in the rooster's memory.

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