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Man arrested in Newton County and charged in Milledgeville teen's murder
0705 CovNews Murder suspect
Dequanis Parks - photo by Special to The Covington News

A Baldwin County man was arrested in Newton County early today, June 30, and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of a teen in Milledgeville 10 days earlier.

The U.S. Marshal Service’s Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested Dequanis Parks this morning without incident at a relative’s home in Newton County, according to a news release from the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office in Milledgeville. 

He was charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault following the June 20 shooting death of 16-year-old Cuatez Jones at a Milledgeville apartment complex, according to Capt. Brad King of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.

Parks was being held in the Baldwin County jail without bond, according to the release.

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office assisted with securing evidence related to the case, King stated in a news release.

“Detectives with the Covington Police Department have worked closely with our investigators and provided much needed information throughout this investigation,” the release stated.

King told The Covington News that Parks is originally from Baldwin County and traveled to Milledgeville June 20. He was there less than an hour before traveling to Newton County the same day, King said.

Baldwin County deputies found Jones shot multiple times and he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 4:30 p.m. on June 20, according to a report from the Milledgeville Union-Recorder newspaper.

The shooting took place in a path that runs near the apartment complex, the newspaper reported.

Investigators speculated the incident may have been related to a drug theft but are still probing the incident, King said.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Detective Robert Butch of the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office at 478-445-4893.