Police said Zeddrick Ross was arrested at the store after an armed confrontation with officers.
CONWAY, Ark. — A 37-year-old man faces a first-degree murder accusation after police said he stabbed Walmart employee Jordanne Drinkwater to death inside a Conway store on March 31.
The case against Zeddrick Ross began with a late-night emergency call and moved quickly into a homicide investigation. Conway police said Ross was arrested inside the Walmart on Skyline Drive, where Drinkwater, 32, died despite aid from officers and medical workers. Investigators said early evidence showed no known connection between the suspect and victim.
The first key issue for investigators is what happened in the minutes before officers arrived. Police said the call came in at about 10:58 p.m. as a stabbing in progress. Officers reached the store within about a minute and saw Ross with a knife, according to police. They said he ignored commands to drop it and advanced toward officers. One officer fired one round, and another deployed a Taser. Ross was taken into custody, and police said he had no apparent gunshot injury. No other people were injured.
The second issue is motive. Police said Ross was not a Walmart worker, did not know Drinkwater and had no known interaction with her before the stabbing. Later accounts of the police affidavit said Ross told a detective he believed a demon had been following him and that he thought he was attacking that figure. He allegedly said afterward that Drinkwater did not look like the person he believed had been following him. Investigators also said he told police he had taken the knife earlier and went to the store looking for another weapon.
Those statements could become important as the case moves through court, but police have not said they explain every part of the killing. Investigators are expected to review surveillance video, physical evidence, officer body camera footage if available, witness interviews and medical findings. Prosecutors will decide which evidence to present and whether additional court motions are needed. Ross’ prior public criminal record cited in reports included misdemeanor theft and obstructing governmental operations convictions, but police have not tied those records to the killing.
The police response will also receive its own review because an officer fired a gun during the encounter. Police said the shot did not strike Ross. The officer was placed on administrative leave, which the department described as routine after an officer-involved shooting. The use of the Taser, the commands given to Ross and the short time between dispatch and arrest are part of the response timeline. Conway police said officers and emergency personnel then tried to save Drinkwater inside the store.
Walmart said it was heartbroken by the killing and was supporting associates and investigators. The company said employees could access support services after the attack. The store sits on Skyline Drive, a commercial area used by shoppers across Conway and surrounding parts of Faulkner County. The public location and the lack of a known link between Ross and Drinkwater made the case especially alarming for residents who followed police updates after the killing.
Drinkwater’s friends described the victim as caring and life-changing. Sam Slaughter told a local station that Drinkwater, whom friends called Puff, helped her through sobriety and changed how she thought about the world. “She was an amazing human being,” Slaughter said. Police offered condolences to Drinkwater’s family, loved ones and Walmart coworkers as the investigation continued.
Ross remained in custody as the first-degree murder case awaited further court action. Police said the investigation was ongoing, with prosecutors expected to rely on the completed case file for the next steps.
Author note: Last updated April 27, 2026.