Press Release

May 3, 2025

Homicide

                On May 3, 2025, just before 10:00 AM, Officers of the Pine Bluff Police Department responded to apartment #23 of the Park View apartments at 300 W. 13th in reference to a domestic disturbance. The disturbance was reportedly called in by a family member. Officers arrived at the apartment, but they were unable to get the occupants to the door. The male in the apartment refused to come out and barricaded himself in the apartment. S.W.A.T. and negotiators were called out to the scene.

After almost three hours, 54-year-old Melvin Sanders exited the apartment a little before 1:00 P.M. and surrendered. Officers took Sanders into custody without incident. Sanders was taken to the Jefferson Regional Medical Center to be treated for an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the hand.

Officers then entered the apartment to search for any victim or other suspect. Inside the apartment they located 43-year-old Yashika Morris. Morris had suffered apparent gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene by a representative of the Jefferson County Coroner's Office. Sanders will be booked into the Jefferson County Jail for Capital Murder upon his release from JRMC.

                   Anyone with further information about this homicide is asked to call the detective office tip line at 870-730-2106, the detective office at 870-730-2090, or the dispatch center at 870-541-5300.