Marianna men arrested in Fayetteville shooting death

Christopher Johnson, Jr. (left) and Paul Whitaker
Christopher Johnson, Jr. (left) and Paul Whitaker

FAYETTEVILLE — Two men from Marianna have been arrested in connection with a Sept. 10 fatal shooting at a home at 1862 W. Pleasant Woods Drive.

Christopher Johnson Jr., 19, of Marianna, was arrested Monday in Marianna in connection with second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence, according to information from the Fayetteville Police Department. Johnson was being held Thursday in the Washington County Detention Center on $1 million bond.

Paul Whitaker, 18, of Marianna, was arrested Monday in Marianna in connection with hindering apprehension or prosecution and as an accomplice to tampering with physical evidence, according to police. Whitaker was being held Thursday in the Washington County jail on $25,000 bond. Records at the jail and in Circuit Court show two different Fayetteville addresses for Whitaker.

Officers were sent to 1862 W. Pleasant Woods Drive around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 10 on a report of a shooting, according to information from Fayetteville police. When they arrived they found a 16-year-old male in the home who had been shot. The officers began life-saving efforts but were unsuccessful.

The name of the juvenile who was killed isn’t being released, according to Sgt. Anthony Murphy.

The incident was determined to be a homicide, police said, and after several weeks of investigation police obtained arrest warrants for Johnson and Whitaker. The two men were arrested Monday in Marianna with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service Western Arkansas Fugitive Task Force and Eastern Arkansas Fugitive Task Force and the Marianna Police Department.

Police said the investigation is continuing.

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