Dante Marquez Bender, 31, a man wanted for the murders of Meridian Police Officer Kennis Croom and another woman, has been taken into custody by the U.S. Marshal's Service, according to Newton County Sheriff Pennington and Newton Police Chief Randy Patrick.
Both Pennington and Patrick confirmed via text to The Newton County Appeal that Bender was arrested a few minutes ago. Pennington said Bender was arrested in Ackerman. He did not have any additional details at this time.
The Ackerman Police Department posted the following statement: "Dante Bender wanted in connection with murder in Meridian has been captured at Cagles in Ackerman."
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued a blue alert on Thursday after the incident occurred on 51st Avenue, Thursday, June 9, 2022, in Meridian city limits.
Bender is apparently a 2008 graduate of Newton High School. He was terminated as a Newton Police Officer effective Jan. 18, 2022, according to a Newton County Appeal report from earlier this year.
