John Neal Jr., a 19-year-old male from Texarkana, Texas, was tragically found dead on March 28, 2018. His body was discovered in the backseat of a burned car on Findley Street. Neal had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, indicating he was shot several times before his body was placed in the vehicle and set on fire in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.
The fire only partially damaged the car, and a blood-soaked comforter with a distinctive pattern was found in the trunk.
Neal's family reported him missing the day before his body was found, after he left to meet someone and never returned. Detectives and Crime Scene Technicians conducted a preliminary investigation at the scene, but it was determined that Neal was likely killed elsewhere and then moved to the location where his body was found. The investigation into his death was ongoing, and the Texarkana Texas Police Department asked anyone with information to come forward.
In July 2023, a significant development occurred in the case when 28-year-old Darren King was arrested for Neal's murder. King was held in the Bi-State Jail with a $1 million bond. The breakthrough in the case came from old social media posts and chat conversations between Neal and King, which indicated a plan for Neal to sell King marijuana on the day before his death. King's shifting accounts of his interaction with Neal and evidence of him having access to firearms further implicated him in the crime.
The investigation into John Neal Jr.'s murder continues, with the hope that justice will be served for the young victim and his grieving family.
