Friday, Sep. 05, 2008

Kidnapping suspect being held in Yakima

By Paula Horton, Herald staff writer

YAKIMA -- A Pasco man suspected of being involved in the disappearance of his 19-year-old girlfriend has been returned to Washington and is being held by federal authorities in Yakima.

Marnicus Antonio Lockhard, 29, was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 29 after a nationwide manhunt.

Lockhard and three others -- Ashone Hollinquest, Andrea Parr and Verla Spencer -- have been charged with kidnapping in Franklin County for the disappearance of Tiairra Jo Garcia of Pasco.

Garcia, who last was seen June 22 with Lockhard and Hollinquest, is believed to be dead.

Witnesses reported seeing Lockhard and Hollinquest park a van outside a Parkview Boulevard home late June 22 and carry what looked like a body from the van to the house.

Police later found several blankets, duct tape and a rug stained with Garcia's blood in the van, court documents said.

When Lockhard was arrested, he had three warrants from Franklin County and was wanted for a federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Lockhard appeared in U.S. District Court in Yakima this week, where he pleaded innocent to the federal charge. He was ordered held without bail.

Lockhard is expected to stay in federal custody until his case is completed and then will be transferred to Franklin County.

Hollinquest, who was arrested in Arizona with Parr, is being held in the Benton County jail, where he is awaiting trial on a first-degree theft charge.

He is suspected of helping Lockhard kidnap Garcia and then allegedly stole a rental car so they could skip town.

Parr, Hollinquest's girlfriend, said Hollinquest gave her money to rent a car for two days June 23, but that he then took it without her permission, court documents said.

The rental car was found abandoned and burned July 2 outside Chicago. Court documents said a rag had been stuffed in the gas tank in an attempt to destroy the car and its contents.

Parr and Spencer are being held in the Franklin County jail.