Suspect wanted for Arkansas murder arrested in Oregon

Little Rock, Arkansas – The Eugene Police Department in Oregon successfully apprehended Rickey Lamont Howard Jr., a 23-year-old suspect wanted for capital murder in Arkansas. The arrest, which took place on Saturday, ended a long manhunt for Howard, who had been on the run for his alleged involvement in a fatal incident earlier this year.

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The chain of events leading to Howard’s arrest began on January 8, 2022, at around 2:45 a.m., when a gruesome homicide took place near 2200 W. 10th Street. Responding to the scene, officers discovered 55-year-old Calvin Kirklin dead in a vehicle in a parking lot. The case quickly escalated, leading to the arrest and charging of three individuals—Steven Grady, 22, Roderick Marks, 22, and Rahn Clay, 18—with capital murder in connection with Kirklin’s death.

However, one crucial suspect remained at large. Three months after the incident, authorities issued a BOLO (Be On the Lookout) Alert for Rickey Lamont Howard Jr., who was implicated in the crime. He faced warrants for capital murder, terrorist acts, and aggravated robbery.

The breakthrough came on a Saturday morning at 9:17 a.m., when an officer from the Eugene Police Department, on their way to another call, noticed a vehicle parked at 155 High Street. The vehicle matched the description associated with Howard, a detail previously circulated among the Eugene Police Violent Crime Detectives.

Acting swiftly, the officer called for backup, and several units converged to secure the area. They found Howard sleeping under blankets in the vehicle. Despite initial non-responsiveness, police were able to coax him out using a loudspeaker, an air horn, and eventually a distraction device. Following the use of the distraction device, Howard complied and was taken into custody without further incident.

This arrest marks a significant milestone in the case, bringing a sense of relief to those involved in the investigation and the community affected by the crime. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office is set to handle Howard’s extradition as he faces the charges levied against him. This successful operation demonstrates the diligence and coordination between law enforcement agencies across state lines, ultimately leading to the capture of a wanted individual.