Saffold arrested, charged with murder

Published 9:53 pm Tuesday, April 30, 2024

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Investigators with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a Lowndes County man they believe is responsible for a homicide in Minter Saturday.

Laquarious Saffold, 26, came Monday, with his family supporting him, to surrender himself to investigators after a weekend-long manhunt. Upon arrival, he was charged with murder, attempted murder and shooting into an occupied vehicle.

Commander Tony Green said the homicide stemmed from an April 26 argument with the deceased, Marcus Wright. The Sheriff’s department received a complaint of shots fired around 4:15 p.m. and responded to the area of 429 Waller Road in Minter.

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At the scene, deputies observed a vehicle, which had been involved in an accident, on the side of the road with one male subject, Wright, inside the vehicle with what appeared to be gunshot wounds. Medics arrived at the scene and attempted to revive Wright but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“During the investigation, we found that there was a guy, Saffold, who stayed on Waller Road,” Green said. “He and Wright had been having an altercation. Mr. Wright was driving his vehicle and saw Saffold standing in the roadway. As he approached, Saffold fired three shots into the vehicle, striking Mr. Wright and causing his death.”

A passenger in Wright’s vehicle narrowly escaped injury, Green added. His identity is not being released at this time.

According to Green, Saffold fled the scene and investigators were able to identify him thanks to witness accounts. He later surrendered to authorities without incident.

Saffold is held in the Lowndes County Jail without bond. Green said the Sheriff’s investigators worked well together on the case, quickly identifying and locating Saffold.

“The unit, as a whole, did an outstanding job,” Green said. “Randall Johnson is the lead investigator on the case.”

Green requests that anyone with information about the murder contact Johnson at the Lowndes County Sheriff’s department by calling (334) 548-2222 or (334) 548-2323.