Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

4th man jailed in fatal shooting

Victim, 29, killed near NLR

- RYAN TARINELLI

A fourth suspect in the fatal shooting of a Jacksonvil­le man surrendere­d to authoritie­s Sunday night, according to a Pulaski County sheriff’s office spokesman.

Four men have been arrested in the killing of 29-year-old James Ward, who was shot last month at the Chapel Ridge Apartments just outside the North Little Rock city limits at 5900 McCain Park Place, according to the sheriff’s office.

According to a post on the sheriff’s Facebook page, Joshua Cangiano surrendere­d to the Boone County sheriff’s office and was to be transporte­d to the Pulaski County jail. A capital murder warrant had been issued for Cangiano, 27.

A court document shows that Terry Miller Jr., who also has been arrested in the killing, admitted to his involvemen­t in the Sept. 28 incident but said it was Jeffery Lamont King who shot the victim. A witness also identified King as the shooter, according to the document obtained last week. Authoritie­s said Ward died from a single bullet wound in his head.

Authoritie­s arrested King on Oct. 3 at 171 Pike Ave. in Jacksonvil­le, according to a report. Investigat­ors on Friday arrested 28-year-old Jackie Jackson III of Jacksonvil­le in the killing.

An arrest report said Jackson admitted to his involvemen­t in the robbery and killing of Ward.

King, Miller and Jackson each face one count of capital murder.

Authoritie­s identified Miller after a witness described one of the suspects as having a six-point star tattoo on his right cheek, according to the affidavit. Investigat­ors then checked with area law enforcemen­t agencies regarding the descriptio­n and Jacksonvil­le police provided

Miller’s name, the court document said.

The document shows that Miller was found at a Lonoke County residence and in possession of a firearm and drugs.

In an interview with authoritie­s, Miller said he, King, Jackson and Cangiano went to meet Ward at the apartment complex, according to the affidavit.

“Miller stated that the plan was to rob James Ward of ‘Roxy’ Pills,” according to the court document. After Ward had arrived, Miller told authoritie­s, he spoke with him and asked about the pills. Miller said that King then approached and “ordered James Ward out of the vehicle at gunpoint,” according to the affidavit.

According to the document, Miller said King made the victim sit on a bench and “ultimately shot him.” Miller told authoritie­s he “freaked out” and got in the victim’s vehicle before driving away, the document said.

Miller said Jackson and Cangiano were responsibl­e for removing two people from the victim’s vehicle, according to the document.

Witness Desaray Clarke told authoritie­s that she, Ward and Trevor Lyons were going to the apartment complex to meet a person, according to the affidavit. As they arrived, Ward spoke with someone on the phone who was giving them directions, according to the document.

“Clarke stated that she noticed the white male with the six-point star standing beside a white vehicle on the phone,” according to the document.

Clarke told authoritie­s that Ward had picked her up that morning and said he needed to go “make a play,” the affidavit said. Clarke later identified King as the person who fatally shot the victim, according to the affidavit.

Lyons told authoritie­s that a white man confronted Ward, who was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, according to the document.

The witness said the white man “pulled a handgun and pointed it at the victim, then began to strike him in the head and face with the pistol,” according to the document.

A black man then approached and told the white man to remove the victim from the vehicle, according to the document. The affidavit said the white man got Ward out of the vehicle and told him to sit on a bench behind the vehicle.

“The black male then began taking property from the victim, i.e. shoes, phone, money and drugs. The white male got into the [victim’s] vehicle and began to drive off. The black male shot the victim, and then ran away,” according to the affidavit.

King, Miller and Jackson were all listed on the Pulaski County jail’s inmate roster Sunday.

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