A 29-year-old Memphis agent has been charged with kidnapping and fatally shooting a 30-year-old man who was reported missing while on duty.
Officer Patric Ferguson reportedly used his .357 Taurus personal revolver to force Robert Howard into the back of his patrol car before fatally shooting him and throwing the body away with the help of 28-year-old Joshua Rogers, who was charged with an accessory to murder.
Memphis police said in a statement that they received a missing persons call from Howard’s girlfriend on January 6 at 8:30 p.m. who said he was last seen around 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The friend used an app to track down Howard’s cell phone, which she picked up. But Howard was not there.
Police say their own internal investigation led them to Ferguson, who allegedly ran into Howard outside of a house and forced him into the police car. He then drove several blocks away where he allegedly shot and killed Howard before working with Rogers to temporarily store the body. Surveillance video from a nearby facility reportedly shows Ferguson shooting into the back of his police car.
According to an affidavit reported in local media, Ferguson used his cellphone while on duty to search for “crime scene cleanup” and “how to destroy DNA evidence.” He also reportedly bought cinder blocks, chains and padlocks with the intention of concealing the body.
A second affidavit says that Ferguson recruited Rogers to help move the body and that the bloody towels found in his car were used to clean up the evidence. The search resulted in Ferguson’s revolver used in the deadly shooting.
The affidavit also says Rogers worked with Ferguson to wrap up Howard’s body before moving it temporarily into his home. Rogers then sold the vehicle he used to transport the corpse, which was later retrieved, according to the police report.
“No one is above the law,” Memphis Police Director Mike Rallings said in a statement. Knowing that a Memphis police officer, someone who has taken an oath to protect and serve, made the decision to commit this heinous crime is devastating. His actions were not that of a law enforcement officer and should not reflect on fellow officers. “