23-Year-Old Suspect in Sunday Murder Arrested in Mississippi

A young man wanted for the Sunday murder at Tuscaloosa's Rum Creek Apartments was arrested in Mississippi Monday night, according to investigators.

Captain Jack Kennedy, the commander of the multi-agency Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, said officers of the Ridgeland Police Department in Mississippi contacted TPD Monday to say they had arrested 23-year-old Eric Markett Hayward.

Hayward is believed to be responsible for fatally shooting 21-year-old Leonna Tucker in her apartment on Highway 69 South Sunday afternoon.

After he was developed as a suspect, the VCU alerted law enforcement agencies across the southeast to be on the lookout for Hayward when he could not be located locally.

Kennedy said the suspected killer was arrested in Mississippi Monday and will be returned to Tuscaloosa for prosecution.

"This is another example of the cooperation of law enforcement from all jurisdictions working together to keep all citizens safe and bring wanted fugitives and those charged with crimes to justice," Kennedy said. "This investigation is still proceeding with much work remaining to be done. The Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit is committed to the victim and her family, and will continue our work to obtain evidence to present for a successful prosecution."