Jermaine Harris Tyus, a 34-year-old Black male, was found with a gunshot wound to his head on June 20, 2014, near Waterfront Cove by Lake Conway in Faulkner County, Arkansas. Though initially in stable condition when discovered, he was airlifted to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, where he ultimately succumbed to his injury.
His death set in motion an investigation that would quickly lead to a suspect.
Investigators discovered property on Tyus's person that led them to the Economy Inn on Oak Street in Conway. At the motel, they learned of an altercation that had occurred approximately 40 minutes before the initial emergency call. Witnesses reported a dispute between Tyus and a 37-year-old homeless man named Andrew Sykes Jr. This confrontation was significant enough that it was captured on video, which showed Sykes brandishing a firearm. Following the argument, Tyus and Sykes left the motel together in a vehicle, accompanied by two other individuals who would later become witnesses.
The events that transpired in the vehicle after leaving the motel would prove to be crucial. One of the witnesses recounted a chilling moment during the drive when Sykes allegedly made a motion as if to shoot Tyus. The witness intervened, momentarily stopping the act. In response to the intervention, Sykes reportedly stated, 'I know how to deal with this.' This statement, coupled with the preceding altercation, painted a grim picture of the moments leading up to Tyus's death.
Initially, Andrew Sykes Jr. was taken into custody on charges of hindering apprehension. However, as the investigation progressed, authorities noted inconsistencies in his multiple accounts of what had happened. Believing that Sykes was deliberately misleading them, investigators upgraded the charges against him. On July 16, 2014, the Faulkner County authorities formally charged Andrew Sykes Jr. with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Jermaine Harris Tyus.
