An 18-year-old is behind bars after a 42-year-old man was found shot to death inside a Cordova home, with detectives now laying out a trail of surveillance video, missing cash, and an arrest across the river in Arkansas.
Investigation at the Cordova home
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office says deputies were called to the 1000 block of Crayton Ridge Drive around 1 a.m. on May 9, where they found a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. According to Action News 5, detectives identified the victim as 42-year-old Joshua Jones and obtained a warrant naming 18-year-old Dennis Fentress as a suspect.
Arrest in Arkansas
Authorities tracked Fentress to Crawfordsville, Arkansas, after a resident reported someone at their door asking for a blanket. Deputies say they later found him asleep on a backyard trampoline and took him into custody, according to AOL. Local booking records cited in that reporting show he was held on state charges while investigators coordinated with Shelby County on the homicide investigation.
Evidence and charges released by detectives
Detectives say surveillance and doorbell video, including footage they say shows Fentress holding a handgun in the driveway the day before the killing, are among the evidence they reviewed. They also reported that no one else entered the house after the victim's girlfriend left around 10 p.m. the night before, as detailed by WREG.
Prosecutors have charged Fentress with first-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, theft of property ($10,000–$60,000), and possessing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony. Reporting states he was extradited to Shelby County and committed to jail on May 27, with a court hearing scheduled for Thursday at 9 a.m.
The victim's girlfriend told investigators that a blue box containing $9,000 and a shoebox holding $15,000 were missing from the home. Detectives say a friend who was on FaceTime with Jones heard five gunshots and someone shouting, “Where is the money?”
Background on the suspect
Reporting notes that Fentress previously faced charges in Crittenden County, Arkansas, for being a fugitive from justice, drug possession, and obstructing governmental operations, according to records. That history surfaced in local jail logs and in coverage as investigators worked to locate him across state lines, per earlier reporting by AOL.
What investigators are asking
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone with information about the killing or the events leading up to it to contact investigators or Crime Stoppers. Action News 5 lists the SCSO tip line at 901-379-7625 and Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH (528-2274) for people willing to share information.
