Indianola police are still gathering details and trying to find out what led to the death of yet another young Indianola resident.
Travis Shaw, 28, was found deceased and lying in a ditch near the intersection of Wiggins Road and Garrard Avenue on Friday morning.
Reportedly, a warrant for first-degree murder has been issued for the arrest of Ladarius Snipes, also known as Noon, 23 of 200 Maybelle St., and according to Investigator Bennie Milton there could also possibly be a second person charged in connection with the case, but that person was not yet named.
She said the U.S. Marshals have been called in to aid in the capture of Snipes.
A passerby reportedly spotted an unresponsive person lying in the ditch and alerted the police at around 6 a.m., Friday morning. According to Milton, emergency medical services and the county coroner were called in and Milton and Sgt. Irish Johnson responded to facilitate the investigation.
The deceased person was later identified as Shaw, who was a resident of the Royal Oaks Apartments, and the entrance to that complex is only a few yards from where Shaw was found.
No motive has been disclosed and the police are still asking the public for their help. Preliminary examination did not reveal an immediate cause of death. Shaw’s body was sent to the crime lab and an autopsy was performed on Monday; however Milton said she has not received the official report as of press time on Wednesday.
According to Assistant Police Chief Earnest Gilson, there were no entry or exit wounds visible.
Gilson and Milton both confirmed that a brick had been thrown through a back window in Shaw’s home. Milton said it was found lying on a bedroom floor, but there was no evidence that anything had been stolen, no sign of a struggle and no sign that the apartment had been ransacked. She said a television was still on in the bedroom.
Milton said they believe that whatever led to Shaw’s demise happened outside of his home. He was reportedly fully clothed with his keys and cell phone still on him at the time.
Johnson said officers had received a call-out between 12 midnight and 1 a.m., that morning regarding shots fired in that area but did not see anything suspicious when they arrived. Gilson added that they later found evidence of at least four shots being fired in the area of the apartment complex.
