Two more suspects arrested in Jacksonville death, fire

A woman and man became the third and fourth suspects arrested in a Jan. 27 slaying and fire at a Jacksonville apartment building.

Terry Ray Peterson-Davis, 34, and Jessica Buchanan, 27, were arrested Monday and charged with arson, abuse of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence, according to the Jacksonville Police Department.

Both are being held at the Pulaski County jail with bail set at $28,500.

Jacksonville firefighters were sent on the night of Jan. 27 to a structure fire at 803 S. Redmond Road. After the fire was extinguished, the charred remains of Murphy Atkins, 48, were discovered, police said.

A coroner concluded that Atkins was fatally shot and then set on fire. Detectives arrested Rayceo Barber, 33, and charged him with capital murder.

A couple of days later, on Friday, police arrested Norris Williams, 34, and charged him with arson, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. Detectives said Barber, who had been staying with Atkins at the apartment for a couple of days, shot Atkins in the head. Williams, who witnessed the shooting, left with Barber and returned with gasoline to set the apartment on fire, according to police.

April Kiser, a Jacksonville police spokeswoman, said Peterson-Davis and Buchanan were not present during the shooting, but had helped Barber and Williams buy the gasoline and start the fire.

The investigation into Atkins’ death continues, Kiser said.