LITTLE ROCK — A Little Rock man arrested Friday in a November slaying told police he planned to rob a man of some marijuana but wound up at the wrong apartment.
John Clay, 26, of 5201 Geyer Springs Road was arrested at the Pulaski County jail Friday morning and charged with capital murder in the shooting death of Maurice Haralson.
Police received a number of calls beginning about 6 a.m. Nov. 26 from residents of the Cedar Ridge Apartments who heard gunshots.
When officers reached the apartments at 5517 W. 51st St., they found Haralson, 34, lying face up just inside the doorway of his apartment. He did not have a pulse, according to police reports.
Officers also found several shell casings inside and outside the entryway.
Homicide detective Lt. Glenn King said he suspected the shooting happened quickly. “When [Haralson] answered the door, someone started blasting on him,” King said.
A neighbor told police that after hearing the gunshots, he looked across the courtyard and spotted two black men in dark-colored overalls running from the second-floor apartment. They fled in a gray Ford Mustang.
On Jan. 3, homicide detectives received a tip that Clay was involved in Haralson’s death. Detectives interviewed Clay later that month and he denied any involvement in the case, reports state.
On July 18, while being transported to the Pulaski County jail from the detectives division on unrelated charges, Clay said he wanted to talk to homicide detectives. He was informed that he was a suspect in Haralson’s death and he again denied any involvement, according to reports.
Less than two weeks later, while being interviewed about another unrelated charge, Clay said he wanted to speak with homicide detectives again. After waiving his Miranda rights, Clay said he and another man went to rob a man of some marijuana on the night of the shooting and went to the wrong apartment, reports state.
Clay said he and the other man were armed, but the other man was the one who shot Haralson. After the other man shot Haralson, they looked around the apartment for drugs, Clay said.
The identity of the man with Clay was not listed in police reports.
Clay also was charged with aggravated robbery in Haralson’s shooting.
On July 9, Clay was arrested and charged in the armed robbery of a man the month before.
According to police reports, Clay pretended to be interested in buying a tablet computer, only to pull a gun and steal the device.
On July 9, the robbery victim spotted Clay and followed him in his car until police caught up and arrested him.
Clay has remained at the Pulaski County jail since his arrest and is being held in lieu of $75,000 bond. He has been charged in three other robberies, jail records show.
Clay is expected to appear Monday in Little Rock District Court.
Arkansas, Pages 14 on 07/28/2012