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Suspect arrested in TV anchor's slaying

  • Story Highlights
  • NEW: Little Rock, Arkansas, police chief says he has "solid case" against suspect
  • Curtis Lavell Vance, 28, arrested late Wednesday in death of TV news anchor
  • KATV-TV anchor Anne Pressly was 26
  • She was severely beaten in her home, died days later at hospital
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(CNN) -- A suspect was arrested Wednesday night in connection with the death of Little Rock, Arkansas, television news anchor Anne Pressly, police said.

Little Rock police have arrested Curtis Lavell Vance, 28, in connection with Pressly's death.

Anne Pressly, 26, was a popular morning news anchor at KATV-TV in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Curtis Lavell Vance, 28, was arrested at a Little Rock home soon after investigators named him as a suspect.

CNN affiliate KATV-TV in Little Rock reported that police were tipped off to Vance's location after investigators publicly identified him as a suspect at a news conference.

"We went there and he's in custody," said Lt. Terry Hastings, a police spokesman.

Little Rock Police Chief Stuart Thomas did not say what led investigators to name Vance as a suspect, but he said it was "a very, very solid case due to solid detective work."

Pressly, 26, was found beaten at her home in October. The KATV anchor had been beaten around her face and upper body.

She died days later in a hospital. She had been sedated and unable to speak to police or family members, and suffered massive brain swelling, her family said. Her condition had seemed to be improving shortly before her death.

Police earlier said Pressly might have been the victim of a burglary because her purse was missing. Her credit card was used at a gas station sometime this week, police said.

Pressly's left hand was broken, possibly as she tried to fight off her attacker.

During the investigation, detectives combed the area around Pressly's home in the Heights neighborhood, a mix of bungalows and mansions near the Little Rock Country Club.

A $30,000 reward, established by KATV, was offered to anyone providing information leading to the arrest of Pressly's attacker.

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