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COUNTY SEEKS CLUES ON THREE UNSOLVED HOMICIDES

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Saturday, February 23, 2008 11:36 PM CST

Jefferson County sheriff’s investigators are asking for help in solving three homicides, including one that occurred more than two years ago at Altheimer.

Sheriff Gerald Robinson said a reward is being offered for information leading to the identification and arrests of the person or persons responsible in each of the three slayings, and all information received will be kept confidential.

“We believe there are people out there who know what happened in all of these cases, and knows who’s responsible and we’re asking them to come forward so we can close these cases and bring some sense of closure to the families,” Robinson said.

The oldest of the three involved the death of Terrance White, 23, of Pine Bluff, who was found with a gunshot wound to the abdomen after deputies were sent to the Brown Sugar Club at Altheimer Sept. 10, 2005. White was taken to Jefferson Regional Center where he was pronounced dead the following day.

Lt. Steve McFatridge said investigators interviewed a number of people following the fatal shooting, but have not been able to positively identify a suspect.

The other two unsolved homicides occurred last year, less than two months apart.

On March 16, deputies were sent to Wilbur West Road, approximately one-fourth mile outside the Pine Bluff city limits off Ohio Street Pike, where they found the body of Brandon Savage, 20, of Pine Bluff. Savage was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple gunshot wounds.

McFatridge said investigators determined that Savage was last seen in the area of 26th Avenue and Beech Street shortly before his body was found, but no suspects have been identified or arrested.

On May 4, a 60-year-old Humphrey man, Gary Brantley, was found behind a house in the 100 block of Humphrey Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Chief Deputy Coroner Chad Kelley. Brantley died of apparent blunt force trauma.

McFatridge said Brantley had not been seen for several days before his body was found and asked anyone who might have had contact with him between April 29 and May 4, either in person or by telephone to contact investigators.

“Also, if they saw something that appeared to be out of the ordinary in the area during that period of time, we want to hear from them because that might just be the break we need to identify the person or persons involved,” McFatridge added.

Robinson said not only have there been no suspects identified in any of the cases, no clear motives have been determined for the slayings.

He said anyone with information about any of the cases should contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 541-5496, or after hours and on weekends the communications center at 541-5300. All information received will be kept confidential.

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