FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A man arrested in 2020 after a woman was found dead on the side of I-49 in Fayetteville has been convicted by a jury and sentenced to life in prison.
In December 2020, Arkansas State Police (ASP) received information that a black car with a Georgia license plate was driving recklessly in the southbound lane of I-49 and exiting at 67A. A witness reportedly saw a woman's body fall from the car before the driver sped away.
ASP identified the victim as Shaletian Robin Zetta Larry, from Conyers, Georgia. The tags on the car belonged to a vehicle owned by Larry, a report said. She was 27 at the time of her death.
Lazarus Reaves, now 32, was identified as a suspect in the incident.
Reaves was arrested in December 2020, with a preliminary report saying that officers had previously been called for a disturbance involving the victim and suspect. He reportedly had the keys to the car in his pocket at the time of his arrest.
Reaves eventually pleaded not guilty and recently went to trial. On Aug. 6, 2024, he was found guilty of capital murder and tampering with physical evidence. He received life without parole plus six years.
Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Denis Dean, who tried the case, gave 5NEWS the following statement:
“We appreciate the jury’s swift verdict in the senseless murder of 27-year-old Shaletian Larry. Arkansas State Police and the Fayetteville Police Department coordinated to quickly identify and arrest the suspect. Their thorough investigation ensured the jury had the necessary evidence to convict the defendant. Washington county juries continue to show they will hold wrongdoers wholly accountable and severely punish them for their actions. My heart goes out to Shay Larry’s friends and family as they will forever mourn her tragic death.”
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.