In the early morning hours of May 19, 2021, a burst of violence shattered the quiet of a West Helena, Arkansas neighborhood, leaving a young father dead in his own front yard. Paul Eric Amos, a 30-year-old male, was walking near the intersection of North 6th Street and Baldwin Avenue around 3 a.m. when a white SUV approached him. A person inside the vehicle opened fire, striking Amos and ending his life.
Remembered as a devoted father to his four children, he was known for his enjoyment of singing karaoke, skateboarding, and drawing.
The Helena-West Helena Police Department quickly began an investigation, initially detaining two individuals who were acquainted with Amos. Their focus, however, soon turned to another man, 30-year-old David Coley Jr., who was identified as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting. Authorities launched a manhunt for Coley, warning the public that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
Nearly a month after the shooting, on June 15, 2021, the search for David Coley Jr. came to an end. Acting on leads, Arkansas State Police Special Agents, U.S. Marshals, and Lee County Sheriff's Deputies located him inside an abandoned bus on Lee Road, southeast of Marianna, Arkansas. Coley was taken into custody without incident at approximately 10:45 p.m. He was subsequently transported to the Phillips County Detention Center and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Paul Eric Amos.
