In the early morning hours of August 13, 2017, 48-year-old Vincent James was returning to his home on South Main Street in Little Rock, Arkansas, when he was accosted by two individuals. The men attempted to rob him as he was entering his residence. During the struggle, one of the assailants shot James in both of his legs. Despite his injuries, he managed to make his way to a neighbor's house to call for emergency services.
When police arrived at approximately 2:50 a.m., they found James
wounded. Before being transported to the hospital, he informed officers that two men, one Black and one white, had tried to rob him. He was taken to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences for treatment. Initially, his injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. However, his condition worsened, and he was pronounced dead at 9 a.m. that same morning.
For two years, the case remained under investigation with few public leads. Then, in September 2019, the diligent work of cold case investigators and homicide detectives led to a breakthrough. Following further investigation and interviews, an arrest warrant was issued for 24-year-old Tevin Nelson. On September 16, 2019, Nelson was located, arrested, and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Vincent James. He was subsequently transported to the Pulaski County Jail. There has been no public information regarding the second suspect James had initially described to the police.
