Update given on shooting suspects
A man wanted in the shooting death of a 56-year-old man is in custody, and one of two people wanted in a shooting at Saracen Casino Resort has turned himself in, with the second suspect saying he will surrender on Wednesday, according to the Pine Bluff Police Department.
Robert Moore Thomas, 22, was found Monday morning and arrested without incident in connection with the death of
Edson Jones, whose age was originally given by police as 66. Thomas was at the detective’s office being interviewed Monday and was to be booked into the Jefferson County jail on a charge of first-degree murder.
Police were called at 2:24 p.m. Saturday to the Beech Street Apartments at 2103 S. Beech in reference to a man having been shot. Officers said they found Jones, with apparent gunshot wounds, near the back of the parking lot. Jones was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson County coroner’s office.
Detectives said the shooting apparently stemmed from an argument between Jones and the person now identified
as Thomas.
On Thursday night, police were called to Saracen Casino Resort after patrons who had been escorted to the parking lot because of inappropriate behavior inside the casino shot at and hit a security guard as they drove away, slightly injuring the guard, authorities said.
Police identified five people who were being sought in the shooting. Three came in on Friday, gave statements and were released with no charges filed.
Another person in the group, Brandon Burnett, surrendered to detectives on Monday. He was interviewed and will be booked into the Jefferson County jail on charges of first-degree battery and discharging a firearm from a vehicle, according to police.
The other suspect, Tirek Langel, through his attorney contacted detectives and said he will turn himself in on Wednesday, police said in a statement. Langel is the only one still at large, and he also faces arrest on charges of first-degree battery and discharging a firearm from a vehicle.
Anyone with information about Langel’s location is asked to contact the Detective Division at (870) 730-2090 or Dispatch at (870) 541-5300.
The three people who were cleared were Dontarius Slater, Joshua McAfee and Kuro’n Brown, authorities said.