Murder suspect arrested

Curry charged in Harvard Yard homicide

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

A multi-law enforcement agency man hunt resulted in an arrest in the case of a Harvard Yard fatal shooting last Wednesday. Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen praised the excellent coordinated efforts between county deputies at the scene, follow-up work by his detectives and their cohesive work with the US Marshall Service, and the Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms Task Force (ATF) resulting in the arrest of 18-year-old Kevin Curry Jr. at a home off Raleigh-Lagrange Road in Shelby County. The arrest came Friday morning, just hours after warrants were signed in the homicide case.

Tanner tried fleeing the arrest, but surrendered when confronted with a police dog.

Tanner was wanted in Memphis too. The homicide wasn’t the first time he had pulled a gun according to authorities. Police said a victim made positive identification of Curry for a May 1, 2020 attack. Charges there included aggravated robbery, false imprisonment and theft of property. Memphis police issued a bulletin labeling Curry as armed an dangerous.

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CURRY CURRY

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The shooting of 56-yearold Jimmy Lee Tanner of Harvard Road and the subsequent frantic drive by his girlfriend to Baptist Crittenden hospital in a bullet ridden 2007 red Jeep Grand Cherokee down Highway 77 with many police cars drew immediate wonderment on local social media.

Tanner died at the hospital according to Allen. The Sheriff shared the details of the shooting.

“Tanner was on South Bristol Road when the shooting happened about 7:30 P.M.,” said Allen. “The Harvard Yard resident was taken to Baptist Hospital by private vehicle after being shot on Bristol. He later died.“ The sheriff said Curry pulled a gun on Tanner during an argument.

“He had gotten out of his jeep to talk to two Black males and got into a verbal altercation when Curry pulled a firearm, shot and struck the victim multiple times,” said Allen. “The suspects fled on foot and were last seen running toward Dunhill Road in Harvard yard.”

A house was later shot up in an apparent errant gang related retaliation.

“There was a guy up there that has been involved in a lot of shootings, pretty much any shooting ever in Harvard Yard,” said Allen. “There was a retaliation at his house because they believed he had something to do with it. We don’t think he had anything to do with it, but his momma’s house got shot up afterwards.”

Tanner, himself led a criminal life according to the sheriff. He had been paroled last year after serving time for capital murder for the 1990 Christmas Day homicide of Kathy Jefferson in West Memphis. He had been sentenced to 40 years.

“I remember,” said Allen, “I worked that case when I was at West Memphis.”