Police found a former Jonesboro resident dead in his Dallas apartment, and authorities have arrested a man who said he met the victim through a Craigslist advertisement.
Dallas Police Senior Cpl. Melinda Gutierrez, a public information officer, said a friend found Robert Lee Covington, 54, dead on a bed inside his apartment on Mahanna Springs Drive in northwest Dallas at 6:22 p.m. Friday.
Dallas County Medical Examiner Stephan Lenfast said Covington's mouth and nose had been covered with duct tape. Lenfast said Covington died of suffocation and ruled the death a homicide, Gutierrez said.
Police questioned Yevin Pierre Rushing, 22, after witnesses saw him driving a U-Haul truck in the parking lot of Covington's apartment complex Friday evening. He was also seen walking past the back door of Covington's residence while Dallas police were investigating the death.
Friends said they could not find Covington's cellphone, apartment keys and a Rolex watch in the apartment.
Witnesses recorded the license plate on Rushing's vehicle and police questioned him Saturday.
Rushing admitted that he met Covington on Craigslist and went to his residence on Friday. He also admitted to driving the truck around the parking lot and left after seeing police, Gutierrez said.
Investigators said they found Covington's watch in Rushing's vehicle.
Rushing was arrested and charged with capital murder. He is being held in the Dallas County jail in Dallas in lieu of $500,000 bond.
Covington worked in Dallas as the executive assistant pastor at Cathedral of Hope, which has one of the nation's largest congregations of gays and transgender people.
State Desk on 07/11/2017