Suspect arrested in Arizona after Louisiana murder

ARIZONA, USA – U.S. Marshals have tracked a man wanted in Louisiana for the murder of a teenager across the country to Arizona.

The Bastrop Police Department in Louisiana said 44-year-old Montrell Donell Holmes was arrested by the Arizona Marshal Service on June 27 after the body of 14-year-old Ashley Barnes was found in a wooded area near the 1500 block of Daisy Street in Bastrop, a northern Louisiana city about 16 miles from the Arkansas-Louisiana state line.

The department said they used a search warrant and pings from cell towers to locate Holmes, who faces a charge of first-degree murder.

In a social media post, Asst. Chief Richard Pace made the following statement:

“It is challenging to take over an investigation of this magnitude that was started by another agency. Our people have worked nonstop since we were assigned this investigation and I couldn’t be prouder of them. We did our best to ensure that Ashley receives justice and that the family can one day find some sort of closure. I especially want to commend Captain Gerald Givens and Detective Libby Brixey for their investigation and dedication.”

The police did not provide any further details about the incident.

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