Georgia Murder Suspect Located at Covington-area Motel

Georgia Murder Suspect, 39-year-old Kenneth Hardin, Jr., was located and arrested at a Covington-area motel Wednesday (August 21, 2024) evening.

The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office was notified that a man wanted for a murder, which occurred in Fayette County, Georgia, was believed to be at a motel off Highway 21 near Covington.  Patrol deputies and STPSO SWAT team members responded to the motel and set up a perimeter.

Harden was located as he exited one of the rooms and was taken into custody. He has been booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center as a fugitive and is awaiting extradition to Georgia.

“Let this be a message to all criminals,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “St. Tammany Parish is not the place to try and hide after committing a dangerous crime in another jurisdiction. We will continue to work together with other law enforcement agencies to locate fugitives who are in our parish so they can be brought to justice.”