Third suspect arrested and charged in death of Nakel Johnson

Jeffrey Pruitt/Source: Montgomery County Detention Facility

The Montgomery Police Department has arrested a third suspect in the kidnapping and death of 47-year-old Nakel Johnson in November.

35-year-old Jeffrey Pruitt, of Montgomery, was taken into custody Tuesday by the United States Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Task Force.

Pruitt is charged with capital murder, burglary and assault.

Two other suspects, 55-year-old Reginald Jones and Jonathan Hoover, were arrested in early January.

As WAKA has reported, Johnson was found dead in November in the 2300 block of Boyd Springs Road in the Lapine community, which is an unincorporated area of both Montgomery and Crenshaw counties.

Investigators say it was determined that Johnson had been last seen in the 3400 block of Mobile Highway. Montgomery police had launched a death investigation before determining he was a victim of homicide.

The court documents say that sometime between 6:30AM on Sunday, November 13, and 4:30PM on Tuesday, November 15, Pruitt, Jones and Hoover forcibly took control over Johnson in his hotel room. They say Johnson was beaten with multiple types of objects and stuffed into the trunk of his own car.

Court records say the vehicle was dumped in the 2300 block of Boyd Springs Road in Lapine with Johnson still inside the trunk. Records say the suspects tried to burn the vehicle, which led Johnson’s death.

All three suspects are in the Montgomery County Detention Facility where they are being held without bond.