Two women arrested in Florida for aiding man wanted in police shooting

[January 12, 2017]  (Reuters) - Two women were arrested in Florida for aiding a man wanted for shooting and killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend and a policewoman in separate incidents over the last month, law enforcement officials said.

Jameis Slaughter, 25, ex-girlfriend of Markeith Loyd, 41, was being held on Wednesday on an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder charge, an Orange County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit showed.

Loyd is wanted for killing former girlfriend Sade Dixon, 24, who was pregnant, and wounding her brother Ronald Stewart, 26, on Dec. 13 and for shooting Orlando Police Department Master Sergeant Debra Clayton to death on Monday after he was spotted at a local Walmart.

As of Wednesday night, authorities continued an extensive manhunt for Loyd, offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

His niece, Lakensha Smith Loyd, was also arrested on Wednesday and faces the same charge as Slaughter, the sheriff's office said on Twitter. Loyd is accused of going to a restaurant where her uncle once worked to collect money for him, the arrest affidavit said.

A manager at the restaurant, Zarghee Mayan, 33, was arrested on Tuesday for aiding Loyd, the sheriff's office tweeted.

Slaughter is accused of collecting money for and being in contact with Loyd over the last month, according to the arrest affidavit.

"Approximately 1 1/2 hours after Sergeant Clayton was murdered, Jameis Slaughter's vehicle drove to the Walmart and circled the area where Markeith Loyd escaped," the affidavit said.

During the police chase of Loyd, an Orange County sheriff's deputy was killed in a collision between his motorcycle and a van, police said.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Nick Macfie and Lisa Von Ahn)

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