A second arrest has been made in connection to the ongoing investigation into a shooting that left a couple dead two years ago in El Dorado.
Alex Dunn, 20, is being held in the Union County jail on multiple felony charges, including two counts of capital murder, for his suspected role in the slayings of Jayeln Robinson, 27, and Kinley Hansen, 21, both of El Dorado.
The incident occurred Aug. 13, 2024, on Marrable Hill Road, just west of the U.S. 167 overpass bridge.
At approximately 8 p.m., officers with the El Dorado Police Department responded to numerous 911 emergency calls in reference to two people, later identified as Robinson and Hansen, lying motionless in the street, having gone down in what was initially believed to be a motorcycle accident.
Upon arrival, police saw that the pair had sustained gunshot wounds and other injuries — road rash, cuts and bruises — from the crash.
Officers determined that the crash was not an accident and the motorcycle they were riding had been rammed by a blue Nissan Rogue that was abandoned at the scene.
Police learned that the suspect perpetrators had fled on foot.
Multiple shell casings were recovered from the scene and sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory, along with other evidence, for processing.
Police made their first arrest in the case in January, more than a year after the shooting.
Jai’Kendal Downs, 20, of El Dorado, remains in the Union County Jail without bond on numerous felony charges in connection to the case, including two counts of capital murder, two counts of first-degree battery, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, terroristic act, unlawful discharge of a firearm, and theft by receiving, with a penalty enhancement for engaging in violent criminal group activity.
Dunn was also identified as a suspect during the course of the investigation, said police Capt. Ryan Landers. The suspect was taken into custody on a warrant for his arrest during a traffic stop Thursday in El Dorado.
Another man, 20-year-old Santwoine Kendrix, was also arrested during the traffic stop on an unrelated felony charge.
At approximately 12:29 pm. Thursday, officers received a Flock camera notification that a vehicle with which Dunn is associated was traveling east on U.S. 82 and appeared to be enroute to El Dorado from Garland City, according to a press release.
Dunn was a passenger in the vehicle, Landers said.
With assistance from the U.S. Marshals Services, El Dorado police investigators learned a few hours later that the vehicle had stopped at Comfort Crest Inn in Smackover.
The law enforcement agencies continued to track Dunn’s movements, and a short time later, they spotted the vehicle heading south on Arkansas 7.
El Dorado police then conducted a traffic stop in the 1200 block of West Hillsboro Street near the intersection of Bradley Avenue and took Dunn into custody without incident.
Dunn made his first appearance Friday in 35th Judicial District Court on the same felony charges as Downs. Dunn was ordered held without bond. He was also determined to be indigent and will be appointed a public defender.
District Court Judge Jack Barker instructed Dunn not to have any contact with the families of the victims or his co-defendant in the case, Downs, who also remains jailed.
Downs has been jailed since Nov. 30, 2024, having initially been arrested on four, felony counts of machine gun presence — charges that are unrelated to the homicide.
His bond on the former charges was set at $200,000, cash or corporate surety.
After Downs was identified as a suspect in the fatal shooting of Robinson and Hansen, he was served with an arrest warrant while in the county jail.
Like Dunn, Downs was ordered held without bond for his arrest in the double homicide — an order that supersedes the $200,000 bond on the unrelated charges.
During the traffic stop Thursday, Landers said officers recovered a handgun on Kendrix’s person during a search incident to Dunn’s arrest.
Kendrix also made his first appearance Friday in district court. His bond was set at $150,000, cash or corporate surety.
Landers said the probe into the shooting of Robinson and Hansen is continuing and additional arrests are anticipated.
He said investigators have not yet established a firm motive but noted that the shooting may have been related to gang activity.
Santowine Kendrix
