On the afternoon of April 29, 2020, tragedy struck in Searcy, Arkansas, when 38-year-old Eric Kalas, a Black male, was found with multiple gunshot wounds on Randall Drive. Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 2:19 p.m., and Kalas was quickly transported to Unity Health Hospital. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The Searcy Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the homicide, and
their inquiries soon pointed to 18-year-old Robert Hurd of Searcy as the primary suspect. Hurd was no stranger to law enforcement; at the time of the shooting, he was already out on bond for two counts of attempted murder in a separate case. The charges against Hurd in connection with Kalas's death were severe, including capital murder, aggravated robbery, and theft of property.
Following the identification of Hurd as the suspect, a manhunt was initiated. Believing he may have fled to the Memphis area, law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals, joined the search. Hurd was considered armed and dangerous. The search concluded on May 14, 2020, when the West Memphis Police Department apprehended him outside a family member's home. He was then transported back to Searcy to face the charges against him. In December 2022, Robert Hurd accepted a plea deal, resulting in a 30-year sentence in the Arkansas Department of Correction for his role in the death of Eric Kalas and for a 2019 attempted murder case.
