A motion to reduce the bond of an El Dorado man charged with first-degree murder was denied earlier this week.
Jardayqueas Kesee, 24 of El Dorado, was arrested in August 2022 and charged with murder and committing a terroristic act following the shooting death of Nathan Rainey, Jr. He was issued a $350,000 bond shortly after his arrest.
A motion to reduce bond was submitted by Kesee's attorney, William James, Jr., on December 20, 2021, according to court records. The motion requests that Kesee's bond be lowered for reasons including his lack of felony convictions, "strong ties to the community" in Union County and the inability of family to post the bond as it stands.
A response from 13th Circuit deputy prosecuting attorney John Thomas Shepherd asking for the motion to be denied was filed Dec. 30 and highlights, among other reasons, the seriousness of the alleged crimes.
A hearing for the motion to reduce bond was held on Jan. 17 in Judge Jim Andrews' 13th Circuit, District 4 court, where the motion was denied. The case was continued until Feb. 21 with an expectation of a plea or trial date at that time, according to court records.
Nathan Rainey Jr. was killed by gunshots on Aug. 6, 2022 in El Dorado.
According to court records, El Dorado Police Department officers found Rainey, Jr. in his apartment after responding to a call referencing an "unresponsive male;" EMS personnel later pronounced Rainey, Jr. dead at the scene and discovered a gunshot wound to his abdomen.
Officers observed evidence at the scene including "a bullet hole in the glass above the door" of the apartment and shell casings "outside the door and on the sidewalk," including 9mm shell casings.
Investigators were later given a 9mm handgun by a resident after they obtained information about the location of the firearm allegedly used by the suspect.
Kesee turned himself in at the El Dorado Police Station while the crime scene was still being processed and spoke with investigators, according to court records.
Kesee allegedly described a scene of a group of people "drinking near the apartment when Rainey became angry and started yelling." Kesee told investigators that Rainey "pulled out a gun and pointed it at him several times" before walking back to his apartment.
Kesee allegedly told police he followed Rainey but "stayed outside of the apartment." He contended that Rainey pointed a firearm at him again from the top of the apartment steps. Kesee then told investigators that he fired his weapon twice "through the front of the apartment" at Rainey and departed the scene after leaving his weapon with another resident.
Kesee's portrayal "matches the information from the scene," according to court records, as does an interview with a witness.