A suspect in the shooting of 64-year-old Dale Devers has been captured by police.
According to Blytheville Police Department Capt. John Frazier, 26-year-old Cody Ward was arrested Saturday morning in the county by the Sheriffs Office. He said a BPD shift lieutenant got a tip and passed it along to deputies and they arrested him.
On Monday, March 8, at approximately 4 p.m., Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department dispatchers contacted the Blytheville Police Department requesting officers respond to a convenience store located in the 3600 block of South Division in Blytheville in reference to a person at that location that had been shot.
Devers apparently witnessed a crime, before being seriously injured in the incident. Police have arrested 27-year-old Lindsey Williams of Blytheville, 35-year-old Daniel Ledlow of Batesville and until Saturday Ward of Blytheville had been at-large for Battery 1st.
"Blytheville officers had a 2 minute response time to the scene where they found 64-year-old Dale Devers of Mississippi County had been shot and in serious condition," Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson said in a press release earlier this month. "Officers were able to determine that Devers had potentially witnessed a crime occur several miles outside the city limits. Mr. Devers called a third party about what he had witnessed and began following the offenders. Both Mr. Devers and the suspects entered the city limits on South Division turning into a residential area. According to Mr. Devers, the suspects shot him after entering the residential area."
Thompson said Devers was able to drive himself to the convenience store, the Dodge Store, where he was found. "It is our understanding that the third party called a Mississippi County deputy who in turn notified Mississippi County Dispatch who contacted our department about the shooting," Thompson said. "Mr. Devers was airlifted from the scene to an undisclosed hospital.”
Devers has recovered and has been released from the hospital.
"A Skycop camera located on South Division captured images of the suspect vehicle being followed by Mr. Devers which was used to help identify the offenders. While searching the area for the suspects the Blytheville Police Department began receiving false 911 calls from the suspects as an attempt to lure officers away from the area. Information developed by Blytheville officers eventually led to the recovery of the suspect vehicle and detention of two suspects in the 1300 Block of Kari Lane. Blytheville police officers were on scene for over four hours."