In the early morning hours of March 22, 2017, the quiet streets of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, were disturbed by a grim discovery. Just before 3:30 a.m., law enforcement responded to a call about a person lying in the street near the intersection of 38th and Hazel Street. Upon their arrival, they found the body of 18-year-old Parius Hicks, a Black male, who had sustained a gunshot wound to his upper body.
A Jefferson County Deputy Coroner was dispatched to the scene and pronounced the young man dead at 4:31 a.m.
The death of Parius Hicks marked the third homicide in the city of Pine Bluff within a span of just five days, heightening concerns about a surge of violence in the community. The Pine Bluff Police Department's detective division immediately launched an investigation into the shooting. Their efforts to piece together the events that led to the teenager's death quickly yielded a significant breakthrough. By late that same Wednesday afternoon, investigators had identified a juvenile as a suspect in the killing.
In a swift resolution to the case, the young suspect was brought into the police department by one of his parents. Following questioning by detectives, the juvenile was arrested in connection with the murder of Parius Hicks. The suspect was subsequently taken into custody, facing charges for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting. The investigation continued as authorities worked to understand the circumstances that led to the tragic end of a young life on a dark Pine Bluff street.
