LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas State Police have initiated an investigation into the death of a woman from Arkansas, whose remains were discovered following a shooting incident involving law enforcement in Missouri.
Authorities from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri have requested the involvement of the agency’s Criminal Investigation Division after they concluded that the victim, Clara Braxton, a 45-year-old from Independence County, Arkansas, was likely killed in Arkansas prior to the events in Missouri.
On Sunday, police in Festus responded to reports of an active shooter at a local restaurant situated in a suburb of St. Louis. The suspect fled the location in a Dodge Ram truck, prompting officers from Festus and nearby Crystal City to attempt to apprehend the vehicle. The pursuit ended when the truck collided with a concrete barrier, coming to a stop in front of a shopping center.
The driver, 40-year-old Jarrett W. Cousins from Bradford, Arkansas, exited the truck clad in body armor and armed with several firearms, according to the police report. Cousins opened fire on the responding officers, who returned fire, wounding him. He was subsequently transported to a hospital, where he is currently in critical but stable condition. Fortunately, no law enforcement officers sustained injuries during the encounter.
In the aftermath, law enforcement discovered Braxton’s body in the front passenger seat of Cousins’ truck. Her remains have been sent to the Missouri Crime Lab for examination to determine the cause of death.
The sheriff’s office conveyed that Cousins has been detained and charged with first-degree assault, or the attempt to cause serious physical injury to a special victim, in addition to one count of armed criminal action. He is being detained without bond.
The Arkansas State Police report that their investigation into Braxton’s death is still in progress. Once this investigation is concluded, the findings will be forwarded to the prosecutor in Independence County, who will decide on any potential charges.
