Soon after she disappeared, the car was discovered about a quarter-milefrom the laundromat. 2023 www.commercialappeal.com. A popular wedding venue and vacation spot, the stately lakeside home the McKay family has owned since 1919 was the setting for the 1994 movie adaptation of John Grishams bestselling legal thriller, The Client, the Commercial Appeal reports. "But he could be lying and if he was high on drugs or alcohol as he frequently was at the time he might not even remember," she said. Once there, he murdered the womans daughter and then drowned himself after fleeing from police. In addition, while incarcerated in Illinois he pleaded guilty in March 1971 to killing Obie Fay Ash, 32, of Cotter, Arkansas. If I did, I would certainly honor your most understandable request.. Prior to 2009 all law enforcement agencies reported using either the NIBRS or Summary Format. A third person was arrested today in connection to the double homicide in the 100 block of Markhaven in Sherwood on Friday, January 3, 2020. Published: Apr. by Wesley Carnicle. What's . "It's better that it not be brought up because the more something like that is bought up, the worse it gets," he said. new content, we kindly appreciate any donation you can give to help To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. need your help for this. Thank you! Copyright 2023, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Inc. Riggs requested the death penalty and her wish was fulfilled on April 30, 2000. Shunterris Salter and Jamichael Petty, both of Little Rock, were found shot to death about 3:30 p.m Wednesday by Little Rock Police officers who responded to the 1800 block of Nichols Road for a shooting in progress, a news release and records show. (KNWA/KFTA) Arkansas State Police (ASP) is investigating the murders of a Scott County couple whose bodies were discovered early Monday inside a residence south of Waldron. The site describesthe three-story, 6,000-square-foot home as "stately, elegant" and "luxurious," with "architectural details" that include a "grand marble-floored entrance with a sweeping staircase," an antique crystal chandelier and a Carraramarble fireplace,all of which are "heirlooms from one of the original family homes in Memphis." Some would argue, however, that not all of these cases were properly handled or the criminals involved truly got what they truly deserved. . It was described in news storiesas "torn up." For many years there has been one person of interest that has been interviewed and questioned; he is in prison in Illinois," Cole said, referring to Smith. The suspect had an alibiand police could not disprove it; The widow's eyewitness account didn't persuade Greene County prosecutors to file charges. Around 8:22pm last night, officers with the North Little Rock Police Department attempted to make a traffic stop on a stolen . FAYETTEVILLE -- Police say a woman was stabbed to death Sunday night in the street in front of her home at 1611 E. Thornhill Drive and her husband is a suspect, BENTONVILLE One man died Saturday in a shooting and another man was being held in the Benton County Jail in connection with the shooting, according to a news, Gov. First-time author Barbara Kemm-Highton spent three years working on herbook. Police showed her a photo of a convicted burglar who was known in the area and, according to news stories, she identified the man as the intruder who killed her husband. Arkansas State Police say the person is now jailed on unrelated charges. ", Walmart on Cantrell Road, where Salter was an employee, posted her picture and a message on Facebook, "You were one in a million. He said: There are many possibilities in the death of Mr. Moody. Blades was last seen at a Nixa store buying cookieson a cold Monday, Dec. 15, 1969. Drugs is a possibility. One of the bullets severed a major artery and Anstutz died an hour later at Cox Medical Center South. Either way, the murders that took place in Arkansas left a mark on the state and made headlines in the news. He loved tinkering with cars, being outdoors and being a loyal friend. Once. The burglar tried to flee out the back but Anstutz confronted him and the two scuffled. More: 'I want justice for my father': An investigation into the 1989 death of Ronnie Johnson. They questioned him. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday signed into law expansive criminal justice bills that aim to overhaul Arkansas parole system and hold dealers of fentan. The Arkansas State Police is investigating the crash of a suspect who fled from Arkansas State Troopers and the North Little Rock Police Department yesterday evening (Thursday, January 12th). But one suspect is alive and living in an Illinois prison. ", "I felt like I was royalty, with the big house and servants," she said. Kelle Ann Workman, 24, was last seen June 30, 1989, while mowing grass at Dogwood Cemetery, outside Pleasant Ridge Southern Baptist Churchat Highways 14 and Z. A homicide can also be cleared if the victim of the crime hinders the prosecution by refusing to testify. In 2019, the most recent year available from the FBI, only 1,372 of 13,927 murder victims were known to have been killed by strangers -- less than 10%. Arkansas, USA : C : Hoyt Franklin CLINES March 25, 1981: 1: Arkansas, USA : Johnie Michael . He was sentenced to 28 1/2 years. Authorities are investigating why Lewis killed McKay after murdering McKays mother, Sally Snowden McKay, 75, and her nephew, Lee Baker, 52, a well-known blues rock guitarist, on Sept. 10, 1996, when he was just 16. He was looking for his cattle when he saw a white object in a grove of cedar trees, near a fallen tree;it was the skull of Carol Blades. plans and enthusiasm Whether you agree or disagree with the amount of justice served in the courts decisions, theres no doubt that these terrible murders or even the punishments served by the perpetrators will be erased from the minds of Natural State natives anytime soon. He had been charged as an adult in connection with the 1996 murders. All About That Shocking 'Ozark' Finale! (KY3) - Authorities have launched a homicide investigation in Stone County, Arkansas, into the deaths of four people Thursday. 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When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. (KY3) - Authorities have launched a homicide investigation in Stone County, Arkansas, into the deaths of four people Thursday.. He was observed going under the water and never came back up, Allen says. While there are surveys and public polls on what cities in a state are the most dangerous, we didn't want to rely on speculation and opinion. Burnett's teenage daughter Minerva led authorities to find that her parents had planned Selby's murder and her brother John had carried it out. To keep creating Her parents and other family members offered $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. Family members bristled at those comments. In a letter published in the News-Leader they saidthe case should never be forgotten. Material from the Associated Press is Copyright 2023, Associated Press and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Before the ink was even dry on Gov. Cherry's estimated release date is January 9, 2020. 0. "The Little Rock School District is saddened to learn of the recent tragic death of 8-year-old Jamichael Petty, a beloved student at LRSD," a release from the district states. When the vehicle got stuck in the yard, the suspect jumped from the car and ran and jumped into the lake, Allen says. It was only after the car was impounded, some three days later, that it was dusted.". Its unclear whether Sally McKay and Baker were killed at the Snowden House, as Fox 13 reports, or if they were killed in a different home down the street, as the Commercial Appeal reports. The AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. He was paroled in 2018 after serving 23 years of his sentence. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Especially at the county levels.". A homicide is considered "cleared" if at least one person has been arrested, formally charged. January 13, 2023 10:21 am. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. But he was never charged in connection withAnstutz's murder. Golden was released on May 25, 2007, also his 21st birthday, after spending nine years in prison. Love Arkansas? Lewis, 39, had been paroled in 2018, according to Allen. According to Allen, rescue teams from the sheriff's department and Arkansas Game and Fish used sonar equipment to locate and recover the body of Lewis, who had drowned. - Roughly 12 hours apart, four people were found dead in Hot Springs after two separate alleged murder-suicide incidents on Thursday. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'roadsnacks_net-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',606,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-roadsnacks_net-medrectangle-3-0');For more reading on the Natural State check out: Population: 10,187Rank Last Year: 8Murders: 11 (4th Most)Murders Per 100k: 108.0 (Most)More on Helena-West Helena: Data|Photos, Population: 198,382Rank Last Year: 1Murders: 38 (Most)Murders Per 100k: 19.2 (6th Most)More on Little Rock: Data|Photos, Population: 13,468Rank Last Year: 6Murders: 10 (5th Most)Murders Per 100k: 74.3 (2nd Most)More on Blytheville: Data|Photos, Population: 66,604Rank Last Year: 23Murders: 12 (3rd Most)Murders Per 100k: 18.0 (7th Most)More on North Little Rock: Data|Photos, Population: 37,263Rank Last Year: 14Murders: 10 (5th Most)Murders Per 100k: 26.8 (5th Most)More on Hot Springs: Data|Photos, Population: 24,442Rank Last Year: 3Murders: 8 (7th Most)Murders Per 100k: 32.7 (4th Most)More on West Memphis: Data|Photos, Population: 78,261Rank Last Year: 22Murders: 13 (2nd Most)Murders Per 100k: 16.6 (10th Most)More on Jonesboro: Data|Photos, Population: 6,653Rank Last Year: 7Murders: 4 (10th Most)Murders Per 100k: 60.1 (3rd Most)More on Osceola: Data|Photos, Population: 23,873Rank Last Year: -Murders: 4 (10th Most)Murders Per 100k: 16.8 (9th Most)More on Searcy: Data|Photos, Population: 17,820Rank Last Year: 4Murders: 3 (13th Most)Murders Per 100k: 16.8 (8th Most)More on El Dorado: Data|Photos. The crime statistics are based on data reported to the Arkansas Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program by law enforcement agencies. Conway PD make arrests in shots fired at ballpark . All rights reserved. Riggs' defense said she was suffering from depression and apparently did not want to have her children split up after her envisioned suicide. Ten months after Blades vanished, Sheriff Lamb told the publiche doubted there was a crime. On June 25, 1990, Simmons died by the method he had chosen, lethal injection. The body wasdecomposed. The man told Davis "vigilantes" who suspected him of killing Workman had shot up his mobile home. A sign read, "In loving remembrance of Terry and JT.". According to this same report, in 2019, 242 people were murdered in Arkansas. We aim to deliver infotainment about where you live that your real estate agent won't tell you. Here are a fewother unsolved murders in the Ozarks: In his first year as Douglas County SheriffRoldan Turner had two separate murders to solve Ronnie Johnson and Kelle Ann Workman. Smith confessed that he raped Ash and stabbed her to death at theTV repair shop where he worked in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He may have been lost at times, but who of us has not been lost? On November 11, 2009, Vance was convicted of capital murder, residential burglary, rape, and theft of property. Rancher Ernest Wilhelm discovered her skeletal remains on his farmtwo miles west of Ponce de Leon. . March 16, 1873, Page 1 Buy Reprints. State police special agents are investigating the cases independently and have not, at this juncture, found conclusive evidence to confirm whether the cases might be related, state police said in a statement. the Murderpedia project stay alive. A former Rector man who shot and killed his family, then held parties while their dead bodies lay just a few feet away, could find out Friday if he will spend the rest of his life in prison or get . We locked our doors and remained inside and prayed for the best, one neighbor who saw police patrolling the lake told Fox 13. He said it was likely there was more than one assailant because Workman wasstrong. "Boys, I'm not afraid," he was reported as saying when guards strapped him in and fastened the electrodes. Bad to worse: Student misbehavior rises further since return of in-person classes, Aerosmith announces final farewell tour starting in September, Man who lost wife, son in Texas mass shooting tells story as search continues, Surprise your mom with one of these Mothers Day. 2023 Cleveland, Texas shooting: Five Honduran people including an eight-year-old were killed in an "almost execution-styled" shooting outside Cleveland, Texas. Bookings are updated several times a day so check back often! ", The property also served as a location for the 1994 movie adaptation of the John Grisham murder mystery, "The Client.". On August 19, 2011, they entered Alford pleas, which allow them to assert their innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them. The suspect in the killing is Travis Santay Lewis, according to Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen. Jail logs show he gave a statement Thursday about the murder after he was read his Miranda rights. "Deputies today responded to an alarm at the historical Snowden House in Horseshoe Lake," Allen said, in a statement. Therelationship between family and then-Christian County Sheriff L.E. Neighbors, who asked not to be identified, reported that deputies told them McKay who was in her mid-60s had been stabbed, while others said a hammer was the weapon. Give this article. It was leaking oil badly; there was mud on the windshield; new scratches on both sides;and the antenna on the backwas bent. Both bodies were found in 1989 in different months in different parts of the hugeMark Twain National Forest, an area the size of Delaware. Judge David Laser accepted the pleas and sentenced the three to time served. Copyright 2022 TheAssociated Press. Autopsies will be performed at the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to confirm the cause and manner of death and provide agents with an approximate time of death. Following a successful decision in 2010 by the Arkansas Supreme Court regarding newly produced DNA evidence, the West Memphis Three negotiated a plea bargain with prosecutors. Turner retired from law enforcement in 2020 after nearly 24 years with the Ozark Police Department. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Jacksonville PD make arrest in robbery at gas station Crime / 1 day ago. All rights reserved. Two weeks later, the two killers were caught in Portland, Oregon, and were sentenced by the state of Arkansas to die for their crimes The executions were carried out on January 8, 1997 by lethal injection. How increasing Beaver Lake Fire dues could impact dept. The history between Lewis and McKay, and her mother and cousin members of the powerful Snowden family which owned much of the property in the area, including The Peabody, a historic hotel in Memphis is unclear. All rights reserved. Lewis was 17when he pleaded guilty tothe 1996 Horseshoe Lake murders of McKay's mother, Sally Snowden McKay, and Sally McKay's nephew, Lee Baker, a popular Memphis blues/rock guitarist. Specifically, we analyzed the FBI's Uniform Crime Report which summarizes the number of murders that may happen in each city per year.We only looked every single city in Arkansas for which FBI data was available for the most recent FBI Crime In The United States. Lamb also told the paper it was best that the case be forgotten. Copyright 2023, Northwest Arkansas Newspapers LLC. The three people at the time thought nothing of seeing theman dash across the field until they learned Blades was missing and her car was the one they had seenabandoned along Highway 160. Its just a scary thing thats happened, the neighbor said. March 16, 1873. The cemetery is 13 miles northwest of Ava in Douglas County. She wasidentified by dental records. This serial killer who made a wrong turn into the Natural State found his way back to Illinois and was sentenced consecutively to a total of 500 years in prison in Illinois in 1971. His parents had once lived on property on Horseshoe Lake owned by the Snowden family, the Commercial Appeal has reported. Who Lives, Who Dies? The FBI estimates the national clearance rate for murders is 61 percent. Recent Murders in Arkansas. There were no signs of struggle. Serial killer Mark Alan Smith was sentenced to 500 years for raping and killing threeIllinois women. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Finally, we averaged the two scores into an index: We felt as if a small place with 2,500 people and two murders makes it a lot more dangerous than a city of 25,000 people with three murders. Chasing Chains, LLC. "Snowden" is among the most prominent names in regional and local history, as evidenced by the presence of Midtown's Snowden Avenue and Snowden School. The 2019 homicide rate in Arkansas, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Report, was an 8.0, meaning that Arkansas murders rate showed that roughly 8 individuals per 100,000 residents of the state were murdered in 2019. The FBI estimates the national clearance rate for murders is 61 percent. We use data, analytics, and a sense of humor to determine the dirt on places across the country. Skip to content. "Obviously, we have not come up with probablecause to charge anybody at this point. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. The unsolved 1989 murder of Ronnie Johnson of West Plains is but one of many in the Ozarks. This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. State police said both had gunshot wounds. No one else has been. That left us with 26 cities to rank. 5. You can find out more and change our default settings with Cookies Settings. LRSD mourns his loss and extends deepest sympathy to his family, friends, classmates and teachers. [You] will be missed by all of us here at your store.". Crime News | Little Rock, Arkansas | thv11.com Crime Local News Mother sentenced for leaving newborn to die near Mississippi River Jennifer Matter had earlier entered a guilty plea,. 11. He was described as 5 feet 9 or 10 inches tall, a white man with a dark complexion andblack hair combed back. San Jacinto County. "They was just looking for anything to say, they was all upset.". PICKENS, Clay King Travis Lewis, 39, returned to Horseshoe Lake to kill Martha McKay 23 years after murdering her mother and cousin. 26, 2023 at 1:22 PM CDT BENTONVILLE -- A September jury trial was scheduled for a former Rogers High School wrestling coach accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. He was elected sheriff in 1968; lost in 1972 (some say because of the unsolved Blades murder); and re-elected in 1976 and 1980. She was shy and didn't like to smile much; she was self-conscious about a crooked front tooth. "The families felt it would be traumatic to go through a trial," the deputy prosecutor told The Commercial Appeal at the time. The suspect, identified as a 38-year-old intoxicated Mexican national male, appears to be out of town according to police. Dumas, Arkansas: 1 killed, 27 injured at car show Police investigate at the car show in Dumas, Arkansas. On Wednesday, an ex-convict returned to the upscale lakeside Arkansas neighborhood where hed fatally shot a 75-year-old woman and her 52-year-old nephew 23 years earlier, say authorities. This was on Dec. 3, 1969 12 days before Blades was abducted and killed. Kemm-Highton saidin August she does not believe Smith killed Blades. Get the Android Weather app from Google Play, How increasing Beaver Lake Fire dues could impact, Aerosmith announces final farewell tour starting, Man who lost wife, son in Texas mass shooting tells, Senior Day softball blasts lift Arkansas over Tennessee, WATCH: Sitting down with Ricky Stromberg to talk, WATCH: Courtney Deifel and Cylie Halvorson recap, Hog Hoops Report with Kevin McPherson (4-30-23), Five former Razorbacks ink with NFL teams following, The Momentary kicks off Concert Series with The, Childrens T.E.A.M. Lewiswho lived at Horseshoe Lake and whose parents lived on Snowden-owned property pleaded guilty to the two murders on April 7, 1998, the dayhis Circuit Court trial was about to begin in Marion, Arkansas. And we have, every time we getany kind of lead whatsoever, run down that lead.