Fugitive charged with murdering US deputy marshal serving warrant in Louisiana sexual battery case

The US Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana announced Tuesday that Clarence A. Frazier Jr., 48, of Alexandria, has been charged by criminal complaint with the murder of Deputy U.S. Marshal Michael Andrew "Drew" Hanson, who was fatally shot while helping apprehend the fugitive. If convicted, Frazier faces a maximum penalty of life in prison or the death penalty.

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According to federal court documents, authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Frazier on July 13 after he failed to appear for his state trial on a charge of sexual battery of a person with infirmities, a felony under Louisiana law.

Investigators with the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office and the US Marshals Service located Frazier at his Alexandria residence on Rutland Road and first secured a search warrant for the home before moving in to execute the arrest warrant. Federal prosecutors allege that officers, who were clearly identified as law enforcement, announced their presence before forcing entry into the residence.

Inside, they found Frazier barricaded in a bedroom.

According to the complaint, Frazier opened fire on the officers, striking Hanson. The deputy marshal later died from his injuries. Frazier allegedly remained barricaded inside the bedroom during a standoff before ultimately being taken into custody. The FBI is leading the investigation with assistance from the Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office.

Hanson, 36, joined the US Marshals Service in 2020. Before becoming a deputy marshal, he served with Customs and Border Protection in Nogales, Arizona, and later with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New Orleans. His law enforcement career also included service with the Ocean Springs Police Department, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and the Gulfport Police Department. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Hanson represented the dedication expected of deputy marshals nationwide. "US Marshals risk their lives every day—securing our courts, protecting our communities, and working shoulder-to-shoulder with local law enforcement to bring dangerous fugitives to justice. Deputy US Marshal Drew Hanson embodied that courage and dedication," Blanche said.

He added that Hanson "paid the ultimate price while protecting our communities," pledging that the suspect "will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

US Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta called Hanson's death a loss for the entire nation. "The nation lost a hero Monday," Serralta said. "We are all extremely saddened by this tragic loss of Deputy US Marshal Drew Hanson when he was shot and killed by a dangerous fugitive." He added that Hanson "was selflessly devoted to making his community and this nation safer. His sacrifice will not be forgotten."

US Attorney Zachary A. Keller said his office intends to pursue the case aggressively while acknowledging the investigation remains ongoing. "Our Office joins all of our Western District community and the Department of Justice in mourning and honoring the loss of this Deputy Marshal—a man who was a father, a husband, a son, and a child of God—as someone who paid the ultimate price in service of our community's safety," Keller said.

FBI Director Kash Patel also offered condolences and vowed that the bureau would dedicate "the full force of resources" to ensure the suspect is brought to justice.

The federal murder complaint is separate from the Louisiana state prosecution Frazier was scheduled to face before allegedly failing to appear in court.