Suspect caught in Marion slaying

Chattanooga police have arrested 26-year-old Jarrod Pickett, who is wanted in Marion County on charges of killing 50-year-old Jasper, Tenn., resident Kenneth Hudson.

He was located Wednesday at the Motel 6 on Williams Street in downtown Chattanooga and surrendered to police without incident, according to police spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary.

He was unarmed and was taken to the Hamilton County Jail, she said.

Shot in the head, Hudson's body was found Monday by a mail carrier on Old Shellmound Road.

Pickett emerged as a suspect on Tuesday and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents and Marion investigators issued an arrest warrant for him Tuesday evening on charges of criminal homicide.

Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett said officials earlier Wednesday found the victim's black 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck in Dade County, Ga.

Burnett said Hudson and Pickett were acquainted but he wasn't sure how well and what the nature of their relationship was.

He said he believed Pickett "had lived here a long time or around the area."

Burnett said Pickett now looks somewhat different from the state Department of Correction photo that has been released to the media.

Pickett now wears shoulder-length dreadlocks and a more noticeable mustache, he said.

Marion County Detective Chad Johnson said Tuesday that Pickett recently was released from prison after serving time in connection with a 2006 burglary that violated his probation on a 2005 conviction for possession of methamphetamine.

Johnson said Tuesday that at least one juvenile is believed to have witnessed the shooting, but Burnett on Wednesday said he couldn't comment on any juvenile involvement.

Kate Harrison contributed to this story.