Federal prosecutors have indicted a former Memphis police officer, Patric Ferguson, on charges of kidnapping and murder related to the 2021 on-duty shooting of a man.
The 32-year-old Ferguson, who joined the Memphis Police Department in October 2018, is accused of fatally shooting 30-year-old Robert Howard on January 5th, 2021. This indictment comes after an initial state-level indictment for murder and other felonies in Shelby County, Tennessee.
According to the Justice Department press release, a federal grand jury indicted Ferguson on eight counts. The indictment also charges Joshua Rogers with helping Ferguson cover up the crime.
Investigators allege Ferguson abducted Howard from his home at gunpoint and shot him in his patrol car. Ferguson then allegedly disposed of Howard’s body in the Wolf River with Rogers’ assistance. Federal prosecutors further claim Rogers sold the car used to transport the body to a scrap yard as part of the cover-up.
Both Ferguson and Rogers face charges in Shelby County for their roles in the incident. Rogers’ charges include accessory after the fact, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence.
The case unfolded when Howard’s partner reported him missing on January 6th, prompting an investigation that led to Ferguson’s arrest. Howard’s body was later recovered from the river.
