UPDATE: Walter Abernathy Alive in Montana

The following are corrections to a story published earlier this week, Walter Abernathy, Local Lotto Winner, Dead at 71. That story contained multiple inaccuracies, because our reporters received false information from sources close to the subject. 

• Walter Abernathy is not dead, he’s hiding somewhere in Montana. The “friend of the family” that initially reported Abernathy’s death is said to be with him.
• On Thursday, at Bern and Barry’s Funeral Home, it was discovered that Abernathy faked his own death, when his body wasn’t found in the casket.
• While Abernathy did serve in the Vietnam War, he “never saw action,” according to a member of his platoon.
• Abernathy did not win $400,000 in the Mississippi State Lottery (MSL), as previously reported. According to a representative for the MSL, the figure was approximately $40 million before taxes. Abernathy falsely reported the figure to the media.
• According to an anonymous tipster, Abernathy used his lottery earnings to begin manufacturing cocaine at Sweetie’s Sugar Plant, where he was formerly employed. He would distribute the drugs in discrete packages at a diner on Main Street.
• The same source told us that Abernathy is a silent partner with a majority stake in Nasty Abe’s Strip Club. Tax reports provided by the Mississippi State Tax Commission show that Abernathy was likely laundering his unreported lottery earnings through the business.
• Abernathy is also said to have engaged in several relationships with employees at Nasty Abe’s Strip Club, according to Cherry Moons, who works at the establishment as a bartender/performer. She said that Abernathy would pretend to hang out at Ed’s Hardware Store, but instead snuck through a secret door that connected the businesses. He could then spend hours at Nasty Abe’s undisturbed by his friends and family. Eddy Edson declined to comment for the story.
• According to Moons, Abernathy often spoke of moving to Montana, to avoid giving his lottery winnings to his “annoying wife” and “groveling children.” By faking his death, it seems that Abernathy was able to make off with millions of illegal earnings while dodging tax fraud. Montana police are currently trying to locate Abernathy’s hideout.

Once again, these are corrections to a story we ran earlier in the week, Walter Abernathy, Local Lotto Winner, Dead at 71.