A tip helped lead investigators to a suspect in the death of a Fayetteville woman six years ago, police say.
Nina Ingram, 21, was found murdered in her Fayetteville apartment in 2006.
For more than six years the family and friends of Ingram waited for an arrest in her killing. Rico Cohn was arrested on a capital murder warrant Wednesday.
Those who knew the Ingram family are breathing a sigh of relief. Rhonda Combs went to church with Ingram’s mother Judy.
"When her daughter got killed she continued going to church,” Combs said. “Kept her faith you know and she just absolutely just was amazing."
Fayetteville police say they received a tip in the case after local media aired reports about the killing in April to mark the six-year anniversary of Ingram’s death. The caller pointed the finger at Cohn.
"They were able to provide the suspects name and the reason they felt that he was the suspect,” said Sgt. Craig Stout with the Fayetteville Police Department. “And we were able to investigate onto that and you know go from there."
Detectives wouldn't say if Cohn had been a suspect all along, but say because of the details given in the tip, they knew they were on the right track.
"This person had some intimate knowledge of the crime that only the perpetrator or someone close to the perpetrator would have known,” Stout said. “Because it was information that was never necessarily released to the general public."
Officers say they questioned Cohn after receiving the tip, but had to wait weeks while gathering enough evidence to make the arrest.
Police found the 26-year-old man at a home in Fayetteville, although he has a Springdale address. Right now officers are being tight lipped about the details. A judge has sealed the arrest affidavit.
But officers hope once the trial begins, there will be justice for Ingram.
"We're glad to put this behind especially for the friends and family of Nina Ingram, to bring some level of closure to obviously a very difficult time in their lives,” said Stout.
Cohn will be formally arraigned on charges June 20. A court date will also be set.
He is currently being held without bond at the Washington County Jail.