Officer Chris Rankin

Public Information Officer

903-798-3187 (office) 903-260-0294 (pager)

903-824-4199 (cell) 903-798-3023 (fax)

Texarkana Arkansas Police Badge

Re: 900 Realtor Homicide

On 3/28/07 at 10:00pm Texarkana Arkansas Police responded to 900 Realtor in reference to a report of a shooting that had just occured. Officers located the suspect John Bennett (w/m/44 Houston, TX) inside one of the rooms at the hotel.

The victim, Kevin Block (b/m/41 Texarkana, TX) was on the floor suffering from a gunshot wound to the upper body. The victim was treated at the scene by EMS and transported to St. Michaels Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

During the course of the investigation officers were told that the suspect arrived at the hotel and checked into a room earlier in the day. The suspect reported that the victim had come to his hotel room on two occasions that day and that he did not know him.

It was reported that the two engaged in an argument regarding an attempted theft. The details of that argument are still under investigation. The victim reportedly entered the room uninvited with an unknown white female and began arguing with the suspect. The suspect reportedly produced a box cutter and threatened the victim. A struggle began and the victim disarmed the suspect. It was then that the suspect retrieved a .44 magnum handgun from his suitcase and shot the victim once in the upper body. The female fled the scene and officers are attempting to obtain her identity.

The suspect called 911 and was then located at the room by officers. He was arrested and is being held in the Bi-State Jail on a charge of 2nd degree murder. No bond has been set and the investigation is ongoing.

Thank you and you can visit the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department online at http://www.txkusa.org/arkpolice.