ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A man wanted in connection with a fatal shooting in Tennessee earlier this month was arrested Thursday in Asheville, officials said.
Wayne Parham, 28, was taken into custody by members of the U.S. Marshals Smoky Mountain Fugitive Task Force, the Asheville office of the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Asheville Police Department. Authorities have not released details about the location of his arrest.
Parham is wanted for second-degree murder in the July 6 killing of 48-year-old Michael Velazquez in Knoxville, according to the Knoxville Police Department. Media reports from Knoxville indicate Parham struck Velazquez with a hammer before shooting him. Velazquez died at the scene.
Parham is currently being held at the Buncombe County Detention Facility and is expected to be extradited to Knox County, Tennessee, in the coming days.
The Asheville Police Department praised the cooperation among agencies that led to Parham’s arrest.
“We were proud to assist,” the department said in a statement. “This outcome underscores the importance of interagency collaboration and our collective commitment to maintaining community safety.”
The Knoxville Police Department also thanked federal and local law enforcement for their role in locating and apprehending Parham.
According to media reports from Knoxville, police said Parham hit Velasquez with a hammer and then shot him. Velasquez died at the scene.