The Jonesboro Police Department released new information about a murder case that led police officers to fatally shoot a suspect last week.
Rodney Fisher, 47, of Jonesboro, held a woman hostage for over a week after he fatally shot her roommate, 44-year-old David Allen Marshall, police spokeswoman Sally Smith said in a Monday news release.
"The reports are still unavailable due to the fact that it is still under investigation by the Arkansas State Police and our department," Smith told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Thursday. Smith said that the woman, Nichole Herndon, was Fisher's girlfriend.
Jonesboro officers had responded Feb. 28 to the 1100 block of French Street after Marshall was found dead.
Police said March 4 that they had upgraded Marshall's death to a homicide. Officers also had learned that Herndon, his roommate, had been missing since Feb. 25.
During the investigation of Marshall's death, officers said it was revealed that Herndon was present during the shooting and was forced to leave the home by Fisher. Police said Herndon was held against her will, sometimes at gunpoint, for over a week.
Officers Bryan Bailey and Chris Jefferson were in the area of Race Street and Curtview Drive on March 7 when they were contacted by a property manager regarding drug activity, Smith said in a previous news release.
Police said the property manager directed them to a residence where the manager had encountered two women who he believed were trespassing. Officers said they began to check the area and spotted two people, one of whom they thought was Herndon. The other was Fisher, who was wanted in connection to Marshall's death, Smith said.
Police said Fisher pulled a handgun on the officers and police fired back, striking the suspect. Fisher was transported to a hospital, where he died. Herndon was found safe at the scene, authorities said.
The officers were placed on paid administrative leave until the completion of state police and internal investigations, Smith said.
Herndon, who had multiple visible signs of trauma, was brought to the police station.
Police said Herndon was suffering from emotional stress, multiple contusions, bruising, swelling and broken bones. She told police she stayed with Fisher in constant fear for her life.