Police officer ‘kidnapped and killed’ a man while on duty
A police officer ‘kidnapped and killed’ a man while on duty before attempting to cover his tracks by tampering with evidence.
Cop Patric Ferguson, 29, allegedly shot and killed 30-year-old Robert Howard in Memphis, Tennessee.
Ferguson, who was on duty at the time and knew Howard, is accusing of bundling Howard into the back of his patrol car before shooting him dead.
The alleged murder, last week, was captured on tape by a nearby surveillance camera and Ferguson is said to have admitted to the crime, reports WMC 5.
He was arrested by his former employer, Memphis Police Department (MPD), yesterday, and charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, first-degree murder in perpetration of aggravated kidnapping, and tampering with and fabricating evidence, according to police.
Officers were initially called to investigate the disappearance of Howard on Wednesday after his girlfriend reported him missing from home. A body they believe to be that of Howard was then discovered near a park in east Memphis yesterday.
Investigators say Ferguson, acting on his own accord, armed himself with his personal handgun, forced the victim into the back of a police car and drove to a third of mile to a different location, where he shot and killed him.
Police added that Ferguson’s cell phone search history revealed multiple incriminating internet searches related to cleaning up crime scenes and how to destroy DNA evidence.
Ferguson, who had been with MPD since 2018, shot Howard while his victim was in the back of his police car, according to the force.
They also said that Ferguson admitted to enlisting the help of another man, Joshua Rogers, a friend of his, to move the body to another location.
MPD director Mike Rallings said: ‘No one is above the law. Knowing that a Memphis police officer, someone who took an oath to protect and serve, made the decision to commit this horrific crime is devastating.
‘His actions were not that of a law enforcement officer and should not reflect on fellow officers.
‘Our investigators responded swiftly and did an outstanding job by identifying the suspect responsible.
‘This is an example of the professionalism and dedication that is displayed daily.
‘Regardless of who you are, our investigators will conduct a thorough investigation and will seek justice for all victims.’
Patric Ferguson is expected to make his first court appearance today, according to the Shelby County Jail.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.