CLEWISTON — In the afternoon hours of Jan. 3, Hendry County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Capt. D. Weathers and Major Crimes Unit Lt. M. Rowan took custody of 18-year-old Cedric Saxton in Macon County, Ala., and delivered him to the Hendry County Jail.

Cedric Saxton

After being identified as a suspect in a homicide, resulting in the death of Alister Bernard Greaves Thomas, Saxton fled the Clewiston community and traveled to Alabama where he has family. While he was in Alabama, Macon County authorities placed him under arrest for an outstanding Hendry County warrant for charges of robbery and second degree homicide.

The Hendry County Sheriff’s Office CID Major Crimes Unit had been looking into the death of 23-year-old Alister Bernard Greaves Thomas, of Clewiston, which occurred on Dec.13 at approximately 7 p.m. Mr. Thomas was found lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound to the chest.

Major Crimes Lt. M. Rowan was blocks away when he heard the gunshots. When he arrived in the area of 10th Street and Alabama Avenue, he found a man, later identified as Alister Thomas, lying in the street. Mr. Thomas was transported to Hendry Regional Hospital where he was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.

Hendry County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Road Patrol Units continued to follow up on leads they were receiving. The Major Crimes Unit worked diligently building a case and has recovered the firearm suspected to have been used in the homicide. Coordination between the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office and the Macon County Sheriff’s Office in Alabama led to the arrest of this violent felony fugitive. On Dec. 24, 2019, Cedric Saxton was taken into custody by Macon County, Alabama law enforcement personnel.

Both Capt. Weathers and Lt. Rowan traveled to Alabama and took Saxton into custody. He was booked into the Hendry County Jail on Friday, Jan. 3, on charges of robbery and second degree murder.

Saxton is currently being held with no bond.