Man Charged in Anchorwoman's Beating Death

A 28-year-old Arkansas man has been arrested in the death of a popular Little Rock television anchorwoman who was found beaten in her home in October. Curtis Lavelle Vance of Marianna was charged with capital murder in the death of 26-year-old Anne Pressly.

Pressly died five days after she was found by her mother badly beaten in her bedroom.

In a news conference late Wednesday, Little Rock Police Lt. Terry Hastings said that Vance fled from his Marianna home earlier in the day because he knew police were looking for him. He had a 25-year-old woman and three children under the age of 5 with him.

Police believed Vance was armed with a 9 mm handgun with "a lot of extra ammunition," Hastings said. However, Vance was arrested without incident at a residence in Little Rock around 11 p.m.

"We got a tip. We went there and he's in custody," Hastings said early Thursday. "As far as we know he wasn't armed."

'Very Solid Case'

Hastings would not say would led investigators to arrest and charge Vance (pictured in mug shot) in the case. Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas said at the press conference that the arrest were the result of "a very, very solid case due to solid detective work."

Pressly died on Oct. 25, five days after she was beaten in the head and upper body in her home in the Pulaski Heights section of Little Rock. She never regained consciousness.

Previously, investigators said DNA evidence collected at the scene gave a clear "portrait of the suspect."

After she was beaten, one of Pressly's credit cards was used at a gas station in Little Rock, but videotape of the area did not provide an identification of the suspect.

Marianna is about 90 miles from Little Rock, but authorities said Vance had ties in Little Rock and visit there often.

See Also:
Ark. Police Arrest Man in Death of TV Anchorwoman

Earlier Article:
Reward Offered for Clues in Anchorwoman's Murder

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