10-05-2025
Man pleads guilty to helping officer dump body in river
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis man has pleaded guilty to helping a former Memphis Police officer dump a man's body in a river after a fatal shooting.
The U.S. Department of Justice says Joshua Rogers pleaded guilty on Thursday.
In January 2021, Memphis Police officer Patric Ferguson was charged in the death of 30-year-old Robert Howard. Ferguson was accused of forcing Howard into his squad car and shooting him in the head while on duty.
ORIGINAL STORY: Memphis Police officer charged with murder, kidnapping in man's death
Rogers, who was reportedly an acquaintance of Ferguson, was accused of helping Ferguson dispose of Howard's body. Rogers was charged with tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse at the time.
The DOJ says that Rogers stated that he and Ferguson put chains, padlocks, and cinder blocks on Howard's body before dumping his body into the Wolf River.
Rogers reportedly admitted that he and Ferguson used Ferguson's squad car to transport Howard's body.
Rogers will be sentenced on August 6. Based on his plea agreement, He faces a maximum of 70 months in prison.
In addition to his first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping charges, Ferguson also faces federal civil rights, kidnapping, weapons, and obstruction charges. Ferguson's trial is set for November 3.
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