In the late hours of a Friday night in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the life of Keith Lamond Hawkins, a 40-year-old male, was tragically cut short. On February 26, 2021, the sounds of gunfire echoed in the area of 1020 South Linden Street, leading to the second homicide of the year in the city. Officers who were nearby proactively canvassing the neighborhood due to a recent increase in gun violence heard the shots themselves.
They responded to the scene to find Hawkins with what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. He was found lying on the ground, unresponsive, and was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson County Deputy Coroner.
The investigation into the shooting death of Keith Lamond Hawkins quickly moved forward. In the days following the incident, the Pine Bluff Police Department identified a person of interest. Their efforts led them to seek 21-year-old Jakarri 'Karri' Gray in connection with the fatal shooting. The search for Gray culminated on March 4, 2021, when he voluntarily surrendered to the Pine Bluff Police Department.
Upon turning himself in, Jakarri Gray was arrested and faced serious charges for his alleged involvement in Hawkins' death. The charges brought against him included Capital Murder, committing a Terroristic Act, and Possession of a Firearm by a Certain Person, indicating he was a felon in possession of a firearm. Gray was subsequently booked into the Jefferson County Jail, where he was held without bond as the legal proceedings against him commenced.
