In the early morning hours of June 9, 2026, the quiet of an Ashdown, Arkansas neighborhood was shattered by the sound of gunfire. When officers from the Ashdown Police Department and the Little River County Sheriff's Office arrived at a residence in the 600 block of Brodie Lane around 6:25 a.m., they discovered the body of 35-year-old Derrick Burgess.
He was found near the carport of the home, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds, and was pronounced dead at the scene before emergency medical personnel could arrive.
At the scene, law enforcement took a woman into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. The individual was identified as 49-year-old Summer Grimes, who was reported to be Burgess's girlfriend. The initial report to authorities indicated that a woman had shot her boyfriend. The investigation was quickly handed over to the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division at the request of the Ashdown Police Department. Investigators from multiple agencies, including the 8th South Drug Task Force and the 9th West Drug Task Force, joined the inquiry.
As the investigation unfolded, authorities executed multiple search warrants, which led to the discovery and seizure of a significant number of firearms and illegal narcotics. While Grimes was taken into custody, formal charges were not immediately filed as the investigation remained active. Law enforcement officials described the shooting as an isolated incident and assured the public that there was no ongoing threat to the community. The case file, upon completion of the investigation, is to be submitted to the Little River County Prosecuting Attorney's Office for review and to determine what, if any, criminal charges will be pursued. Derrick Burgess's body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to determine the official cause and manner of death. As of mid-June 2026, the investigation into the death of Derrick Burgess is ongoing, and further details regarding the circumstances of the shooting and any potential prosecution are pending the prosecuting attorney's review of the case.
