Second teenage suspect in Pine Bluff double homicide surrenders to authorities

Little Rock, Arkansas – A second juvenile suspect in the drive-by shooting death of a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy in Pine Bluff last month has turned himself into police.

Trenton Xavion Rogers, 19, reportedly surrendered to authorities at about 5:30 p.m. in relation to the murders of Vaniya Bennett and an unidentified adolescent boy.

According to authorities, Rogers was apprehended and put into the W.C. “Dub” Brassell Adult Detention Center in Jefferson County on charges of two counts of capital murder, battery in the first degree, terroristic act, receiving stolen property without authorization, and firing a gun from a moving vehicle without authorization.

Jayvion Marquet Williams, 19, who assisted Rogers in these killings, turned himself up to authorities on August 5. Williams is charged similarly to Rogers.

On July 16, police reported that Bennett, the unidentified juvenile victim who passed away, and another male victim, age 18, who was shot and taken to a nearby hospital, were all shot at a residence on West 17th Avenue close to Southeast Arkansas College.

The two individuals who were injured by gunfire were believed to be outside the home when Rogers and Williams opened fire. According to a previous press release from the authorities, Bennett was inside the house when a stray gunshot struck and killed her.

“I’m just angry, heartbroken. I can’t even hug on my baby. I have to hug on my baby in a casket,” Vanessa Washington said of her daughter Bennett the day after her murder. “I don’t want any parent to have to bury their child. I don’t want any parent to have to go through what I went through.”

These deaths were the 13th and 14th homicides in Pine Bluff this year.