Photo courtesy of the Lawrence Kansas Police Department, design by TTR
U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller announced the capture of 19-year-old Andrel Darnell Spates, Jr., Wednesday, for first-degree murder for a homicide that occurred in Lawrence, Kansas in September 2021, according to a news release from the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Lawrence Kansas Police Department requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Kansas Fugitive Apprehension Task Force (KFATF) September 17, 2021, in locating and apprehending Spates on a homicide warrant.
According to a news release from the LKPD, the department with the assistance of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Lawrence, Kansas, arrested 18-year-old Javier Isidro Romero Friday, September 17, 2021, for suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of 18-year-old Christian Willis, of Lawrence.
Willis was killed Wednesday, September 8, 2021, in the 1500 block of Kentucky Street in Lawrence, Kansas.
LKPD south Spates’ whereabouts in connection with Willis’ murder.
Spates was considered armed and dangerous.
The Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force (TRVFTF) in Jackson received information and a request from the KFATF October 5, 2021, to apprehend Spates who was believed to be in Madison County.
Wednesday morning, the TRVFTF went to an address on Sable Wood Cove in Three Way to locate Spates. After several minutes, Spates came out of hiding from the house, and he surrendered to task force officers without incident. The Madison County Sheriff’s Department responded and transported Spates to the Madison County Jail.
Spates will be transported to the Douglas County Jail pending an extradition hearing, according to the LKPD.
Miller stated, “One of the strategies of the U.S. Marshals Service is to work seamlessly with other agencies to achieve a successful and safe outcome when tracking down violent fugitives.”
The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is a multi-agency task force within Western Tennessee. The Western Tennessee Division of the TRVFTF has offices in Memphis and Jackson, and its membership is primarily composed of Deputy U.S. Marshals, Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies, Memphis Police Officers, Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputies, Jackson Police Officers, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections Special Agents. The primary mission of the Task Force is to arrest violent offenders and sexual predators.