Teen dies of gunshot; 2nd teen held

A 16-year-old boy was found dead of a gunshot wound Tuesday night, according to the Pine Bluff Police Department.

According to a news release, police were called about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday to 4101 S. Olive St, where they found the nonresponsive male teenager inside a vehicle.

The Jefferson County coroner pronounced the youth, identified as Jarrett Massey, dead at the scene. The youth had a gunshot wound in the upper portion of his body.

According to incident reports, police talked to three witnesses, who identified Massey as their cousin, and told police that they had discovered his body after reporting him missing earlier in the day. The report said one of the witnesses told police that they had tracked Massey’s cellphone to an area near Jack Robey Junior High School where they found his body in a silver Ford Taurus that was parked among some trees behind the school.

The report said officers approached the vehicle and found Massey, unresponsive and without a pulse, lying facedown in the passenger seat.

A supplemental report said that shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, police picked up a possible suspect, an unidentified 17-yearold Black male, at an apartment on South Wisconsin Street and took him in for questioning. Police confirmed that the teenager is being held on a charge of capital murder.

Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter said the teen is scheduled for a probable cause hearing this morning in district court and could be charged as an adult in connection with the homicide.

“We do plan to have a [probable cause] hearing on him as an adult,” Hunter said. “Once we get the full case file, we’ll make a final determination, but right now we’re treating him as an adult.”

Massey’s body was sent Wednesday morning to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for autopsy, according to authorities. His death is the city’s 23rd homicide this year.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Pine Bluff Police Department Detective Division at 870-730-2090 or Dispatch at 870-541-5300. Also, there is a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of any suspect or suspects in the case. Information may be shared via Facebook at https://www. facebook.com/pinebluff.pbpd/.