On a summer day in Little Rock, Arkansas, the quiet of a neighborhood was broken by a tragedy that claimed the life of a beloved community member. Fred William Pohnka Jr., a 68-year-old male, was found deceased in his home on the 1200 block of Jackson Street on Wednesday, July 8, 2015. Concern arose when Pohnka, a dependable security guard at a local Regions Bank, failed to report for his shift. His supervisors, unable to reach him, went to his residence to check on his welfare.
When their knocks went unanswered, they contacted the authorities.
Upon their arrival, Little Rock police officers entered the home to a scene of disarray; the house had been thoroughly ransacked. In the kitchen, they discovered Mr. Pohnka's body. An investigation by the Arkansas State Crime Lab would later determine that he had been shot and beaten. Despite the violent struggle that had clearly taken place, investigators found no evidence of forced entry, suggesting that Pohnka may have known his assailant or assailants. Neighbors expressed their shock and sorrow, remembering him as a friendly and kind man, a pillar of their community who always had a warm greeting for those he encountered.
The investigation into the city's 16th homicide of the year moved swiftly. Within a week of the discovery of Mr. Pohnka's body, the Little Rock Police Department made a series of arrests in connection with the case. The first two suspects taken into custody were 24-year-old Malcolm Jamel Cooksey and 27-year-old Alexandria Martin. A few days later, a third suspect, 27-year-old Calvin Thornton Jr., was apprehended on South Pierce Street. All three individuals were charged with capital murder for their alleged roles in the robbery and violent death of Fred Pohnka Jr.
