Louisiana rape, murder suspect awaits transfer after arrest in Arizona
Police officials confirmed that a suspect arrested on Saturday in Winslow, Arizona, was wanted on charges of rape and murder of a Louisiana teen girl.
Arizona authorities assisted in the arrest of Montrell Donell Holmes, who was suspected of killing 14-year-old Ashley Barnes.
In a Facebook post made by the Bastrop Police Department, police officials said they were conducting a homicide investigation after they discovered a body in the woods, later identified as Barnes.
Officials said a suspect was arrested in connection to the case, identified as Holmes.
On Saturday, officials from the U.S. Marshals Service said their Flagstaff office received a request from the Marshals Service's Western District of Louisiana Violent Offender Task Force to help locate and arrest Holmes.
Officials said he was wanted on charges of the murder and rape of Barnes.
The Marshals Service's Flagstaff task force officers, in coordination with the Flagstaff Police Department and Department of Public Safety, located and arrested Holmes using cellphone tower pings. He was arrested in Winslow, just by Highway Interstate 40 and North Park Drive.
Officials said Holmes was awaiting transport back to the Western District of Louisiana, where he will face his charges. The Bastrop Police Department was still investigating the murder.
Annie Goodykoontz is a reporter for The Arizona Republic. You can reach her at AGoodykoontz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Louisiana man arrested in Arizona in murder of Ashley Barnes
