U.S. Marshals Arrest Suspects in Fatal Shooting of Arkansas Police Officer

Little Rock, AR – The U.S. Marshals arrested two suspects in Mississippi Friday in the fatal shooting of Police Officer Travis Wallace with the Helena-West Helena Police Department (Arkansas) that occurred Thursday.

The U.S. Marshals were requested to assist in the apprehension of the primary suspect, Latarius Howard, 29, of Helena-West Helena, and suspected accomplice Bruce Hillie, 24, of Indianola, Mississippi.

U.S. Marshals investigators developed information that Howard had fled the state to Mississippi, and they found and arrested him without incident at a residence on Bryant Street in Shaw, Mississippi, early Friday morning.

Information was also developed on Hallie's whereabouts, and U.S. Marshals arrested him at a residence on Henderson Street in Indianola early Friday morning. The vehicle believed to be used in the officer shooting was located at the Henderson Street address and was towed and placed in the custody of Arkansas authorities.

"Officer Travis Wallace was an inspiring and motivated officer who served our community well during his five years of service with our department. My deepest condolences are with Officer Wallace's family," said Chief of Police James Smith of the Helena-West Helena Police Department. "My thoughts are with the suspects' families as well, who will also be affected by this tragic incident. Clearly, nobody has won in this battle that our communities are suffering from. I would like to thank all the agencies involved and my brothers and sisters in law enforcement, who assisted in bringing the suspects to face justice. With the grace of God, our community will recover from this and be strong again."

"Our condolences go out to the family, friends and colleagues of Officer Travis Wallace of the Helena-West Helena Police Department," said Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jay L. Tuck. "This was a senseless act of violence and the Eastern District of Arkansas U.S. Marshals stand with the community and continue to pledge our assistance and resources to combat violent crime. I want to thank all of the first responders in Arkansas and Mississippi who assisted in the apprehension of the fugitives. Our prayers are with all of those affected during this tragedy."

The fugitive apprehension case originated in the U.S. Marshals Eastern District of Arkansas, and the arrests were made by the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Northern District of Mississippi, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Eastern District of Arkansas. Other agencies that assisted in the fugitive investigation were the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, the Arkansas State Police, the Helena-West Helena Police Department, the Bolivar County Sheriff's Office, and the Cleveland Police Department.