In a quiet area near Wilbur West Road and Bayou Bartholomew in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a group of hunters made a tragic discovery on December 19, 2021. They found the body of a man who had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was later identified as 20-year-old Laquavis Devonte Thomas, a Black male. His body was transported to the Arkansas State Crime Lab so that an autopsy could be performed to determine the exact cause of death.
Investigators from the Jefferson
County Sheriff's Office and the Tri-County Drug Task Force began an intensive investigation into the homicide. Their work quickly led them to a suspect, another young man from Pine Bluff. On December 20, 2021, just a day after Mr. Thomas's body was found, 19-year-old Daelon Reshuan Baker was located and arrested. Initially, Baker was apprehended on charges that were not related to the murder.
As the investigation continued to unfold, more evidence was gathered linking Baker to the death of Laquavis Thomas. On December 22, 2021, the case was presented to District Judge Kimberly Bridgforth. The judge found that there was enough probable cause to charge Baker with Capital Murder and possession of a defaced firearm. He was ordered to be held in jail without bond. While an arrest was made, the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death remained active and ongoing.
