Ramel Ferguson, of Hempstead, surrenders to face charges in 2020 murder of Karson Banks

A Hempstead man wanted by law enforcement since his 2020 indictment in connection with a fatal shooting outside a town apartment building has been located and arrested, Nassau County prosecutors said Wednesday.

Ramel Ferguson, 29, was indicted five years ago by a grand jury in the Oct. 5, 2020, killing of Karson Banks, 31, of North Carolina and formerly of Hempstead. Banks was shot four times at 11 :20 a.m while in his 2007 Nissan Murano outside a Terrace Avenue apartment building in Hempstead, prosecutors said. The shooting was captured on surveillance video.

 Ferguson remained at large for the past five years, as police offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction, the authorities said.

In 2022, when the reward was announced, Nassau police said federal marshals were searching for Ferguson, who allegedly had fled New York.

Nassau County homicide detectives took Ferguson into custody Tuesday in Garden City after he surrendered as law enforcement was closing in, Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly said in a statement.

"Ferguson fled the scene and the state and has remained on the run for the last five years — until now," Donnelly said in a statement. "No matter how much time has passed, my homicide prosecutors never give up on a case. We will find the perpetrators, and we will bring them to justice for the tragedy and death that they cause."

Ferguson faces four felony charges, including second-degree murder, attempted murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted he could face up to 40 years to life in prison.

He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment Tuesday in Nassau County court. A judge ordered him to be remanded to jail without bail.

His attorney could not be reached for comment.

Members of Banks' family told Newsday they were in court Tuesday for Ferguson's case and expressed relief at his arrest.

Banks’ brother Karl Banks Jr., said he felt sorry for Ferguson’s mother while sitting in court.

The killing orphaned his brother’s two children, who are now 17 and 7.

"This is a tragedy, but bittersweet and the justice we wanted," Banks Jr. said Wednesday. "We’re happy with the results, but it’s like opening a bad wound. We were frustrated and lost faith, but something told me to give them a chance. We had faith and they came through."

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.