Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
A 20-year-old man arrested in connection with the slaying of an Omaha man is back in custody after escaping from a jail in Benton, Arkansas.
Wuanya Smith had been taken into custody Sept. 7 and was being held in the Saline County Jail in Benton, Arkansas.
Around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Smith climbed over a 12-foot fence topped with razor wire and an 8-foot barbed wire fence, according to Sheriff Rodney Wright.
Officials tried to head him off, but he quickly fled into a wooded area. He then hid in a vehicle at a nearby residence, where two people helped him and took him to a place in Little Rock, Wright said.
Officials received information Monday that led them to Smith. He ran away but was caught and taken into custody around 9:30 a.m.
Smith had cuts on his leg and arm from the razor wire. He was taken to a hospital, where he received 25 staples in his leg and nine in his arm, Wright said.
Smith is being charged with escape. He will be isolated until he’s extradited to Nebraska, Wright said. Extradition could take up to three weeks.
The people who helped him are being charged with hindering apprehension and obstruction of governmental operations, Wright said.
Smith had been sought on a warrant charging him with second-degree murder, use of a firearm to commit a felony and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person in the shooting death of Anthony Collins III. Collins was fatally wounded around 12:10 a.m. Aug. 12 near 49th and Hamilton Streets. Police were called to Methodist Hospital in Omaha after Collins arrived there in a private vehicle following the shooting. Collins died later in the day.
Smith had been taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service Eastern Arkansas-Little Rock Task Force.
Wright said officials installed more layers of razor wire at the jail on Monday morning.
Nebraska's Marques Buford Jr. (1) makes a catch fo an interception in the Georgia Southern vs. Nebraska football game in Lincoln on Saturday.
Georgia Southern's Gerald Green (4) rushes in the Georgia Southern vs. Nebraska football game in Lincoln on Saturday.
Nebraska's Bekka Allick prepares to hit the ball at Creighton's Kendra Wait, top right, and Kiana Schmitt, bottom right, in the second set at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
A record crowd of 15,797 watch Nebraska take on Creighton at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Creighton, left, celebrates wining the third set over Nebraska at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Creighton's Sky McCune bumps the ball during their game against Nebraska at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Creighton's Kendra Wait celebrates a point during their game against Nebraska at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Creighton's Ellie Bolton (from left), Norah Sis, and Sky McCune watch the pregame video before their game against Nebraska at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Nebraska's Bekka Allick (left) tries to block Creighton's Kendra Wait during their game at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Doug Larson holds the certificate and flag he was given after he graduated from Veterans Treatment Court at the City-County Building on Thursday.
Nebraska's Nate Boerkircher scores a touchdown early in the third quarter against North Dakota on Saturday.
Nebraska’s Whitney Lauenstein (left) and Nicklin Hames celebrate a kill during their game against Creighton at CHI Health Center on Wednesday.
Nebraska's Anthony Grant fist bumps Walt (right) and Gus Rasmussen after scoring a touchdown during a game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday.
Amanda Fink wears Husker themed cowboy books she purchased in Nashville before a game at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln on Saturday.
Nebraska's Casey Thompson (11) looks up at the replay after being sacked for the second time in the first quarter of the North Dakota vs. Nebraska football game in Lincoln on Saturday.
Elkhorn South's Cole Ballard (5) rushes with Millard South's Bryson Zimmerman (51) on his tail in the Millard South vs. Elkhorn South football game at Elkhorn High School in Omaha on Friday.
Creighton’s Keeley Davis celebrates after scoring a point during their game against USC at Sokol Arena on Friday.
Creighton’s Kendra Wait (left) and Kiana Schmitt try to block the ball during their game against USC at Sokol Arena on Friday.
Creighton’s Kiara Reinhardt (center) and her teammates celebrate a point during their game against USC at Sokol Arena on Friday.
Nebraska’s Anthony Grant tries to escape North Dakota’s defense during the 2nd half of their game at Memorial Field on Saturday.
Nebraska players run onto the field before their game against North Dakota at Memorial Field on Saturday.
Nebraska’s Marques Buford Jr. tries to bring down North Dakota’s Isaiah Smith during the 2nd half of their game at Memorial Field on Saturday.
Nebraska’s Trey Palmer celebrates after catching a 31-yard pass during the 2nd half of their game against North Dakota at Memorial Field on Saturday.
Aurora's Carlos Collazo (2) escapes a tackle by Ashland-Greenwood's Drake Zimmerman (11) during the game on Friday.
Omaha Gross' fans celebrate a touchdown during the game against Elkhorn on Thursday.
Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts answers questions about the firing of Head Coach Scott Frost on Sunday.
Nebraska's Casey Thompson looks for an open receiver before being sacked by Georgia Southern's Anthony Wilson, right, in the second quarter at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Season ticket holders Laura Buchman, left, and her husband Ed Duncklee wait on the start of the Nebraska and Georgia Southern outside of Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
kelsey.stewart@owh.com, 402-444-3100, twitter.com/kels2
Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
Kelsey covers health and fitness for The World-Herald. Follow her on Twitter @kels2. Phone: 402-444-3100.
Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
A Dodge County judge's sudden resignation followed instances of him buying cars and posting bail for a 32-year-old woman who had appeared in his court numerous times.
A man hired last spring to carry out what appeared to be an active shooting at an Omaha, Nebraska, charity — complete with actors smeared with fake blood — has been criminally charged. John Channels, of Omaha, was arrested and charged Tuesday with five counts of making terroristic threats and one weapons count. The incident happened May 19 when authorities say the 27-year-old Channels showed up at Omaha Catholic Charities firing blanks from a semiautomatic handgun and staging “victims” who appeared to have been wounded or killed. Police say the charity paid him $2,500 to test its workers’ preparedness for such an attack. The incident caused panic among the charity’s employees because they hadn't been told it was a drill.
After pleading no contest to a reduced theft charge in an embezzlement scheme, the founder and former manager of the Omaha Sports Academy was sentenced to probation.
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.