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Bonus bust – Local trio arrested on drug charges when murder warrant served (Updated)

A team of city, county and federal law enforcement officers got an unexpected bonus when they served a murder warrant against Ladarius Jamaal Crenshaw on September 13.

One suspect turned to four after three visitors to Crenshaw’s apartment were found to be in possession of an unspecified but “significant” quantity of illegal drugs and were taken into custody along with the accused killer.

De’Antae Deshay Knight, 19; Kenneth Lacell Curry, 21; and 27-year-old Demario Eugene Bowens, all of Atmore, were each charged with one count of first-degree possession of marijuana.

“When we served the murder warrant, there were three other people in the apartment with Crenshaw,” Brooks said. “We found a fairly large amount of dope, and they were arrested.”

First-degree possession of marijuana or synthetic marijuana is a Class C felony under Alabama law. A conviction could lead to a prison term ranging from 1 year and 1 day, to 10 years, along with a fine of up to $15,000.

An employee of the Escambia County Detention Center’s booking and release division reported Tuesday that Curry, who is also charged with resisting arrest, and Knight have been freed on bond.

Jail records show that Bowens, who was additionally charged with felony providing false information to a law enforcement officer, has made bond on the local charges. He is also a fugitive from a felony burglary warrant out of Florida and remained in jail, awaiting extradition proceedings, on Tuesday.

Neither of the three is believed to have been complicit in the murder of which Crenshaw is accused, and no such charges have been filed against any of them.

Pictured at top, left to right, Bowens, Curry, Knight