TEXARKANA, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) —  On Tuesday, the Texarkana, Texas Police Department recognized Detective Thomas Shaddix as their 2023 Officer of the Year for his vital work which led to an arrest being made in a murder case that had gone cold for five years.

Detective Shaddix was presented with a plaque from Police Chief Kevin Schutte, who says Shaddix went above and beyond in investigating the murder of John Neal.

According to TTPD, in his spare time the detective looked into Neal’s case and discovered evidence which allegedly tied Darren King, 28, directly to the murder.

The arrest stems from March 28, 2018, when Neal’s body was found in a car on the side of the road along Findley Street.

Neal had been shot multiple times. The vehicle where his body was found had been set on fire.

King remains held in the Bi-State Jail on a $1 million bond.