In October 2011, Brenda Theriot suspected something foul was going on in the Circuit Clerk’s Office.

“I received a call saying that her restitution checked had bounced. It was a large check. I called the clerk and she gave me an excuse,” said Theriot, the victim assistance coordinator for the Ninth Circuit District Attorney’s Office. “I knew at that point that something wasn’t right but I couldn’t do anything at all. After that point, the communication was bad between our office and hers.”

For years, Shelly Ashley-Palmertree denied the District Attorney’s Office the ability to examine her books, but when she was removed from office a year ago, Theriot became an investigator of sorts, pouring over the files looking for what went wrong and where.

Theriot’s main duty is working with victims of violent crime and ensuring that all victims receive restitution owed to them by defendants, making her a fitting investigator for the case.

“It was very grueling,” Theriot said. “It took me about four months to get everything together.”

The months-long investigation led to the indictment and eventually conviction of Palmertree for stealing restitution money meant for 72 victims.

“There are so many victims. I just don’t understand,” Theriot said. “It is just disheartening. When the money is paid and the defendant has done what he is supposed to do, yet it gets bogged down in the clerk’s office.”

Earlier this month for her work in the investigation into the Palmertree case and helping recover the restitution funds, Theriot received one of the region’s Top Cop Awards at a police memorial luncheon.

“She tends to go out of her way to make sure victims know we are working for them,” District Attorney Ricky Smith said.

The award took Theiot by surprise.

“I’ve always seen it as for law enforcement. That’s what is more shocking to me. I did the research on that case. I’ve got boxes and boxes of documents, but I didn’t think it would be possible for me to get recognized in that way,” Theriot said. “I felt very humbled to be up there with the guys who put their lives on the line,” she said.

The restitution funds embezzled by Palmertree equal $103,736.75, Smith has aid.

Palmertree tendered a check for $20,000 restitution at the time of her sentencing and was ordered to pay $1,250 a month to the district attorney’s office beginning May 10. The first payment arrived early, Smith said.

“After a while, there was a pattern. You could see what was happening. The deposits were correct but they didn’t have the right checks, the right money orders, the right cash reflected in those deposits. That’s where the big red flag was,” Theriot said.

Since Palmertree left office, the DA’s office has been able to examine daily deposits, daily reports, bank statements and other documents that had during Palmertree’s tenure.

Theriot also sets up appointments for attorneys in the DA’s office, helps victims seek compensation and helps victims and their families understand the court process.

“Most of the victims have never dealth with the criminal justice system before. It’s hard for them because they see “CSI” and they see “Law & Order,” and it happens in an hour. It doesn’t happen in an hour here,” she said.

After working as a secretary at Vicksburg High School, began working for Smith’s private practice in 2003.

“She has been one of the chief assets in my legal career,” Smith said.

When Smith took office, Theriot became his victim assistance coordinator.

“She’s got a heart as big as the state of Mississippi for victims,” Smith said.