Two men arrested in murder-for-hire at local convenience store

Two men were in custody Friday charged in connection with a deadly December robbery and shooting at a Waco convenience store that police think was a murder-for-hire.

Keith Antinoe Spratt, 28, and Tyler Sherrod Clay, also 28, both were held in county jail Friday morning facing a charge of capital murder in the December 23, 2015 shooting death of Joshua Ladale Pittman, 37.

Police found Pittman’s body inside the Pick N Pay Food Mart, located at 504 Faulkner Lane, a news release from Waco police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton said.

Police say they believe the killing was a murder for hire.

“During the investigation of Pittman’s murder, it was learned that Pittman had been involved in committing multiple robberies of individuals,” the release said.

“It was also discovered that Pittman had set up Keith Spratt to be robbed and also robbed the second suspect, Tyler Clay,” Swanton said.

“The two suspects in Pittman’s death, Keith Spratt and Tyler Clay then conspired to murder Pittman,” Swanton said.

On the day of the shooting Pittman had been playing a game machine inside the store when Spratt approached Pittman and shot him several times in the face and upper torso.

Spratt was arrested Thursday afternoon after a patrol officer spotted him walking in the area of North 10th Street and Colcord Avenue.

Clay was arrested by Waco officers and members of the the U.S. Marshal Task Force at a smoke shop he owns in the 1300 block of Dallas Street Thursday evening.