U.S. marshals arrest suspect in ’17 slaying

Little Rock cold case detectives identified a 24-year-old as the shooter in a home invasion that left a man dead in 2017, a police spokesman said.

U.S. marshals arrested Tevin Nelson on Tuesday on a charge of first-degree murder after cold case detectives requested a warrant for his arrest in the August 2017 slaying of Vincent James. James was killed during an attempted home invasion, Little Rock police spokesman officer Eric Barnes said.

About 2:50 a.m. on Aug. 13, 2017, James was walking into his house at 3108 Main St. when he said a white man and a black man approached him and tried to rob him, according to previous reports. One of the two men shot James in both of his legs before running away.

James, whose injuries were initially not believed to be life-threatening, walked to a neighbor’s house and called 911, according to previous reports. Police arrived at the home, where James described his assailants before he was transported to UAMS Medical Center. He died seven hours later. His death was the 41st homicide of 2017.

Barnes said witnesses told investigators that they’d heard two gunshots and had seen James fighting with a man near his front door.

The shooting was turned over to cold case investigators, who said in an arrest report that DNA evidence and interview statements linked Nelson to the crime. Cold case investigators requested a warrant for Nelson’s arrest, and U.S. marshals arrested Nelson on Monday near 3109 W. 17th St., according to Barnes and the arrest report.

Barnes said investigators are still trying to identify the second person James said was present during the shooting, and investigators are still asking for any information regarding the shooting.

Nelson was being held Tuesday evening in the Pulaski County jail with bail set at $750,000.

Nelson is also facing charges of drug possession from a July 25 arrest, and possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia from a Nov. 25, 2018, arrest, according to court documents.