<p>MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A former Tennessee police officer has been indicted on charges that he kidnapped a man in a squad car while on duty, fatally shot him, and disposed of the body, prosecutors said Wednesday.</p>
<p>A grand jury indicted former Memphis police officer Patric Ferguson, 29, on charges including first-degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse and official misconduct, the Shelby County district attorney’s office said in a statement.</p>
<p>Ferguson was arrested in January and held without bond on charges outlined in a police affidavit. A lawyer listed in court records when Ferguson was arrested did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the case. </p>
<p>Ferguson is charged in the death of Robert Lee Howard Jr., 30, who was reported missing in January by his girlfriend in Memphis. </p>
<p>Investigators said Ferguson was on duty when he went to Howard’s house, kidnapped him and shot him in the back of his patrol car. </p>
<p>Ferguson disposed of the body in one location, then asked another man to help him move Howard’s body to a second location. The other man has been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. </p>
<p>Police found bloody towels in Ferguson’s patrol car, which Ferguson said he used to clean up the evidence, the affidavit said. </p>
<p>Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killing.</p>
<p>Ferguson was fired after his arrest. He had begun work for the Memphis Police Department in 2018.</p>
