Three charged in homicide
Three men are being held in the Union County jail on capital murder and numerous other felony charges in connection to a shooting that left an El Dorado man dead and another injured in late December.
First appearance hearings were held Friday in 35th Judicial District Court for two of the defendants, Deunte J. Williams, 20, of Pine Bluff and Markevius D. Blake, 19, of the Little Rock-Pine Bluff area.
The third suspect, Johnathan D. Boykin, 20, also of central Arkansas, was arrested Feb. 10 for his alleged role in the murder of 30-year-old James D. Bowens Jr., who was fatally shot on the night of Dec. 28 as he slept inside a vehicle in the parking lot of Hudson Place Apartments, 301 Hudson.
Police were called to the scene at midnight in reference to the shooting.
Bowens was reportedly struck in the neck and shoulder while he was asleep in the front passenger’s seat of the vehicle. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
His cousin, a 30-year-old man whose name has still not been publicly released — police have cited the ongoing investigation — was shot six times as he left an apartment and walked toward the vehicle in which Bowens was sleeping.
Bowens’ cousin was transported to Medical Center of South Arkansas for treatment of his injuries. He has since been released from the hospital, police said.
Officers with the El Dorado Police Department’s Criminal Investigative Division have said multiple shooters were involved in the incident.
They have released few other details about the case.
Williams, Blake and Boykin were identified as suspects in an investigation that is being conducted with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
Capt. Scott Harwell, of the CID, said investigators have not established a firm motive for the shooting. When asked if any more arrests are anticipated, Harwell reiterated that the probe is continuing.
U.S. Marshals took Boykin into custody Feb. 10 in Little Rock. He was booked into the Union County jail the same day.
Blake was arrested in Sheridan on Monday and Williams was picked up in Pine Bluff two days later.
Each man faces charges of two counts of capital murder, first-degree battery, terroristic act, aggravated assault, felony with a firearm, engaging in violent criminal group activity and carrying certain prohibited weapons.
Harwell explained that the second count of capital murder was applied to the list of offenses per state law, which allows for the charge if a defendant commits or attempts to commit certain felony charges, including murder, manslaughter, terrorism, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, vehicular piracy and others.
Judge Jack Barker, of 35th Judicial District Court, said that because of the capital murder charges, prosecutors did not recommend a bond for Boykin, Blake or Williams.
“And I did not set a bond. These are very serious offenses and there is a strong possibility for the defendants to flee the jurisdiction,” Barker said.
Each man appeared before him via Justice Bridge, a teleconferencing system that allows the judge to use a screen on his desk to communicate with defendants from the visitation room in the Union County jail.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors are also present during the teleconferences.
Justice Bridge has been used by courts and other law enforcement agencies across the country since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic began to spread in the U.S. in the winter of 2020.
As is typical when security concerns are heightened, Barker said security was enhanced in the courtroom during first appearances Friday.
However, fewer additional law enforcement officers were dispatched to the courtroom because defendants appeared virtually and seating capacity was already limited due to COVID-19.
Barker explained the applicable charges and possible penalties that each defendant faces — life in prison without the possibility of parole or death by lethal injection.
All three men were determined indigent and were assigned a public defender.
District court papers were then bound over to the 13th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to be formally filed into a charging docket for Union County Circuit Court.
“Once that’s done, the case will be assigned to a (Circuit Court) judge and the case coordinator sets the docket call,” Barker explained.