NEWS

Arrests made, but Orlando still hunts for suspect

Lamaur Stancil
Florida Today

A pair of arrests were made in the Markeith Loyd investigation, but the man accused of gunning down an Orlando police officer remained at large Wednesday, authorities said.

The charges for accessory after the fact to first-degree murder filed Tuesday and Wednesday stem from actions by acquaintances of Loyd in the aftermath of the Dec. 13 shooting death of his girlfriend, Sade Lasha Dixon, and their unborn child, the Orange County Sheriff's Office said. Loyd was named as the suspect in the shooting shortly afterward.

The sheriff's office charged Zarghee Mayan, 33, on Tuesday and Lakensha Smith-Loyd, 27, on Wednesday. Loyd previously worked at New Texas Fried Chicken in Orlando, where Mayan is the manager, affidavits state. Smith-Loyd is Loyd's niece.

Sometime after Dixon's death, Smith-Loyd went to the chicken shop and asked Mayan for money to give to Loyd, according to the affidavits. Loyd also showed up to the restaurant himself once and received $200 from Mayan, the affidavit states.

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Zarghee Mayan

Detectives said Smith-Loyd contacted them in December about the Dixon homicide and said she had information about her uncle's whereabouts. However, Loyd told the detectives she wouldn't reveal his location unless she received information about a weapon found at the crime scene. Detectives said she became uncooperative and stopped talking to them.

Orlando Police Sgt. Debra Clayton encountered Loyd Monday morning at a Wal-Mart and was shot and killed. As Orange County deputies joined the search, Deputy Norman Lewis was on his motorcycle and was involved in a collision that killed him, authorities said.

Loyd remained at large as of Wednesday evening. That's despite 550 tips being called into Crimeline, Orlando police said.

Affidavits for Mayan and Smith-Loyd did not indicate the pair had any information on Loyd's whereabouts since Monday's shooting. But News 6 in Orlando reported Mayan was in contact with Loyd as recently as Saturday.

The reward offered for Loyd's arrest is $100,000.