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OFFICIALS SEEK HELP ON UNSOLVED HOMICIDES

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Saturday, November 14, 2009 9:29 PM CST

The Pine Bluff Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department are asking for help in identifying and arresting suspects responsible for several unsolved homicides in the city and county.

Three cases from the city and three cases in the county are of particular concern for investigators, because in each case no suspects have been identified and no motives determined.

Pine Bluff cases

Frank Fields Jr.

On Jan. 17, Frank Fields Jr., 57, of Pine Bluff was pronounced dead at Jefferson Regional Medical Center, several hours after he was found inside a building at 4501 W. Barraque St., that had been used as a clubhouse for several motorcycle clubs.

Lt. Bob Rawlinson said the initial investigation indicated Fields and several other people were inside the building at about 11:30 p.m. when an unknown person knocked on the door.

Rawlinson said Fields opened the door and looked out but didn’t see anyone, then closed the door and began walking back into the interior of the room when several shots were fired through the door and Fields was hit at least once in the back.

Donell Eason Jr.

On March 31, Donell Eason Jr., 20, was found shot to death at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and Ash Street at 2:14 a.m., and was pronounced dead by Jefferson County Coroner Chad Kelley. Kelley listed the cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds.

Eason’s car, a 1992 Chevrolet Caprice, was found late that morning inside the city limits near the Arkansas River at Kansas Street. It had been set on fire and destroyed.

Ronrico Henderson

The third unsolved homicide in Pine Bluff is that of Ronrico Henderson, 21, who was found July 11 in a car parked in the middle of Virginia Street between 12th and 13th avenues after police were sent to the area at about 10 p.m. in response to a suspicious vehicle that was reportedly smoking under the hood.

Rawlinson said Henderson was found slumped over the driver’s seat; he was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner David Westbrook, who listed the cause of death as an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body.

Jefferson County Cases

Terrance White

Sheriff Gerald Robinson said the oldest of the three homicides investigators are asking for help with is 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 on Sept. 10, 2005.

White was taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead the following day.

A number of people who were inside the club, which has since been destroyed by fire, were interviewed but were unable to provide the name of a suspect.

The remaining two homicides occurred within two months of each other in 2007.

Brandon Savage

On March 16, deputies were sent to Wilbur West Road, approximately a quarter-mile outside the Pine Bluff city limits, where they found the body of Brandon Savage, 20, who had been shot to death.

Lt. Steve McFatridge said investigators were able to determine that Savage was last seen in the area of 26th Avenue and Beech Street a short time before his body was found.

Gary Brantley

On May 4, a Humphrey man, Gary Brantley, 60, was found behind a house in Humphrey and he was pronounced dead at the scene of apparent blunt force trauma.

McFatridge said Brantley had not been seen for several days before his body was found.

Both Rawlinson and Robinson said rewards are available for information leading to the identification and arrest of the person or persons responsible for these homicides.

Anyone with information about the Pine Bluff cases should contact the police Detective Division at 543-5111 or the Crime Hotline at 543-5110.

To report information on the Jefferson County cases, contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 541-5496 or the Administrative Office at 541-5351.

All information received will be kept confidential.

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