In the late hours of a summer night in Rogers, Arkansas, a discovery was made that would unravel a story of violence and betrayal. On August 11, 2021, police were called to the 2100 block of South K Street to investigate a suspicious vehicle. Inside a white truck, they found the body of 23-year-old Ru-Jauree Harris, a Black / African American male from the nearby town of Springdale. He had been killed by a single gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators quickly determined that the truck, which belonged to Harris, had been driven to that location and abandoned after he was killed elsewhere.
The Rogers Police Department launched a homicide investigation, and their efforts soon led them to three suspects. By the end of August 2021, the Benton County Sheriff's Office had taken three men into custody in connection with the death of Ru-Jauree Harris. The individuals arrested were 21-year-old Jesse Stanford of Rogers, 24-year-old Stetson Shelton of Springdale, and 24-year-old Damon George, also of Rogers.
The charges brought against the three men varied in severity. Jesse Stanford faced the most serious charges, including capital murder, aggravated robbery, and tampering with physical evidence. Stetson Shelton was charged with aggravated robbery, hindering apprehension or prosecution, possession of firearms by certain persons, and tampering with physical evidence. Damon George was charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. In November of 2021, all three men entered pleas of not guilty to the charges brought against them, setting the stage for future legal proceedings to determine their roles in the untimely death of Ru-Jauree Harris.
