On the evening of Saturday, March 23, 2019, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, a family dispute escalated into a fatal encounter for 30-year-old Odell Lankford. At approximately 7:10 p.m., officers were dispatched to the vicinity of West Roane after reports of a disturbance and the sound of gunshots. As police neared the scene, they heard additional gunshots. Upon their arrival, they discovered Lankford lying in the street with at least one apparent gunshot wound.
He was still breathing when officers first reached him.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene to render aid, but Lankford succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 7:32 p.m. by the deputy coroner. Witnesses at the scene informed investigators that Lankford had been involved in a physical altercation in the street with a man identified as 34-year-old Jason Rouse. During this fight, Rouse allegedly produced a handgun and shot Lankford.
Further witness accounts indicated that Rouse's girlfriend, 33-year-old Nakeisha Dalton, who was also Lankford's sister, had arrived at the scene with Rouse. It was reported that Dalton also fired shots in Lankford's direction before the physical fight began. Both Rouse and Dalton were taken into custody at the scene without incident.
Following the incident, Jason Rouse was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a charge of first-degree murder. Nakeisha Dalton was also booked into the same facility on a charge of aggravated assault on a family or household member.
