3rd teen arrested in killing of Little Rock mother

LR mother slain while holding tot

Darrell Dixon, 15, of Little Rock
Darrell Dixon, 15, of Little Rock

Police on Wednesday arrested a third teenager in the robbery and killing of a southwest Little Rock woman last week.

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Darrell Keith Dixon, 15, was charged as an adult with capital murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and felony theft of property in the death of Eunice Lopez, 27. Detectives arrested him about 10:30 a.m. at McClellan High School, according to an arrest report.

Two other McClellan High School students, Kevin Williams Jr., 15, and Ramale Collier, 18, already had been arrested in the case. They face the same charges.

Witnesses told police that Williams, Collier and Dixon were among five youths who approached Lopez in the driveway of her home at 8401 Keats Drive the morning of Jan. 31, according to a court affidavit. Williams purportedly grabbed her purse, knocked her to the ground and fired one shot that struck her in the torso.

Lopez, who was holding her 2-year-old daughter during the robbery, died from her injuries hours later at UAMS Medical Center, the affidavit states.

Williams and Collier were reportedly seen fleeing to the backyard of a nearby residence where police found Lopez's blood-covered belongings, police said. The two surrendered to police later that day after being named suspects in the killing. Williams said he "didn't mean to shoot" Lopez, according to court filings.

Police spokesman Lt. Steve McClanahan said Dixon was among several youths detained and interviewed after the slaying, but the department didn't have enough evidence to charge him at the time. McClanahan said he didn't have further details of the investigation.

"Sometimes we just can't make the case right away, we have to go back and get more stuff and make the arrest," he said.

Police said no additional arrests are expected.

Dixon was being held in the Pulaski County jail Wednesday. His first court appearance was set for this morning.

Williams and Collier pleaded innocent in the case, which Police Chief Kenton Buckner described as one of many recent instances of "black on brown targeting" in southwest Little Rock. Police data show the largely Hispanic neighborhoods along Baseline Road east of Chicot Road, including Lopez's, placed among the highest in robberies and violent crimes last year.

Court records show addresses in the area for Dixon and Williams.

After Williams was arrested in Lopez's death, police said they connected him to a separate armed holdup a few miles south of the area Jan. 29.

Milton Ramirez, 30, said he was mowing his lawn at Whispering Hills Mobile Home Park at 11500 Chicot Road that day when three black men approached and asked for work, according to a police report. Ramirez referred the men, who appeared to be in their late teens, to the property manager. One of them then pulled a gun, and the three took his wallet and cellphone, according to the report.

Williams was charged with aggravated robbery and theft of property in that case Tuesday. He pleaded innocent. Details weren't immediately available on how police developed him a suspect in that case.

The other two robbers had not been identified by Wednesday.

Metro on 02/11/2016

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