Police on Wednesday charged a man with capital murder in the slaying of a woman at her Little Rock home in May.
Michael DeWayne Gardner, 44, is accused of fatally stabbing Gwenda Moorman, 62. Officers responded to a reported burglary the evening of May 28 at Moorman's home at 3914 W. 11th St. and found her dead in the kitchen. Police said her body was "badly decomposed" and it was unclear how long she had been dead.
Gardner was arrested the next day on unrelated charges. He remained at the Pulaski County jail Wednesday when police announced he'd been charged in Moorman's death.
Police spokesman Lt. Steve McClanahan said he couldn't release details on how Gardner was developed as a suspect in the case.
[INTERACTIVE MAP: 2016 Little Rock homicides]
"All I can say is there was significant evidence that did tie him to the scene," he said. "[Homicide detectives] have a sealed affidavit, so they didn't want that out."
Gardner, who has a criminal history going back to 1989, had been on parole for convictions on felony drug possession charges in 2011. He reportedly had absconded from parole when police arrested him May 29.
Since then, Little Rock police said they had connected Gardner to a carjacking and an armed robbery, in addition to Moorman's death.
He's accused of holding two people at gunpoint May 6 and stealing a 2005 Chevrolet Impala in the parking lot of the Town and Country Shopping Center on South University Avenue north of Asher Avenue. According to police, Gardner is a suspect in the robbery two days later of a Shell gas station at 3200 S. University Ave. He faces charges of aggravated robbery and theft of property in those cases.
Court records show Gardner also is facing charges of second-degree sexual assault and kidnapping. Further details on those charges weren't immediately available Wednesday.
Moorman's 2014 Fiat 500L was missing from her home the night she was found dead, according to a police report. Police reportedly found the vehicle May 29, the same day Gardner was arrested, at West 26th and South Gaines streets and arrested two people.
Rose Flowers, 49, was charged with possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. Sahaya Datru Pharoah, 43, was charged with theft by receiving. Both are North Little Rock residents.
Neither faces charges in Moorman's death.
McClanahan said he did not have information on how Pharoah acquired the vehicle, which was impounded as evidence in the homicide case.
Gardner's first court appearance in the killing was scheduled for this morning.
Metro on 09/01/2016