Tag Archives: AR

AR Family Of 4 ID’d Following Friday Horror Gravette Quadruple Murder-Suicide

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GRAVETTE, AR. (THECOUNT) — Police have identified the four family members killed in a Friday murder-suicide as married couple, Justin Barnes and Inga Robertson Barnes, and their sons, Levi Barnes, 22, and Casey Barnes, 20. Their daughter, Sumer Barnes, was not at the Gravette, Arkansas home at the time of the tragic incident.

Police identified Justin Barnes is the suspected shooter. Police say he placed the 911 call alerting police to the shooting. He then took his own life.

The deadly shooting occurred Friday around 2:30 p.m. Other details were not provided by police.

All four victims, including the shooter, were pronounced dead at the scene of gunshot injuries.

Officers said they believe the incident was a murder-suicide but did not elaborate.

No motive in the shooting was provided by officials.

Shannon Jenkins with the Benton County Sheriff’s Department told 40/29 News that this was an isolated situation and the public was not in danger. She was not able to release any additional information, reports 4029TV.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the surviving family member with funeral expenses.

Via GoFundMe:

“Our heart breaks for the Barnes family during this tragic time. Were looking for help with funeral expenses and support for their daughter. If you can help in anyway it would be greatly appreciated!”

Lifeway Christian School inside the First Baptist Church in Centerton will be accepting gift card and cash donations for the family from Tuesday through Thursday, 8 AM to 3 PM.

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Geo quick facts: Gravette is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,325 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area – Wikipedia.

AR Couple Madison, Shelby Dodd, ID’d As Victims In Tuesday Conway Murder-Suicide

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CONWAY, AR. (THECOUNT) — Madison Dodd and Shelby Dodd have been identified as the couple found dead in a Conway residence on Tuesday, according to reports.

The Dodds, both 22, were found dead of an apparent murder-suicide at a home on Club Lane, in Conway, AR, late Tuesday morning, say Conway Police.

Officials determined the deaths were as of a result of a murder-suicide.

Authorities say evidence points to Madison Dodd shooting his wife and then turning the gun on himself.

Acting on a call from a friend of Shelby Dodd’s, Police initially showed up at the residence at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday morning. The friend told officers the couple was in the middle of a break-up and she was concerned for Shelby’s welfare, reports Fox16.

After making several failed attempts to contact Madison and Shelby, at the request of a family member, officers entered the house through an unlocked door around 3 p.m. Everything seemed to be in place in the front of the house but during a search of the back bedroom they found the couple dead.

The bodies have been sent to the state crime lab for autopsies.

The deaths remain under investigation.

Geo quick facts: Conway is a city in the U.S. state of Arkansas and the county seat of Faulkner County, located in the state’s most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area, Central Arkansas. Conway is unusual in that the majority of its residents do not commute out of the city to work – Wikipedia.

AR I-30 Garbage Bag ‘Emitting Foul Odor’ Found In Search For Little Maleah Davis

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FULTON, AR. (THECOUNT) — An Arkansas litter and mowing crew has located a garbage bag “emitting a foul odor,” in the search for the body of Maleah Davis. The discovery was made following Derion Vence, Maleah Davis’ mother’s ex-fiance, confessing that the child is dead. Vence claimed the death was was an accident and that he dumped her body in Arkansas.

Hempstead County Sheriff says crews working in the area made the grisly discovery near the interstates and the exits.

Arkansas State Police’s Crime Scene Unit on scene and FBI agents are trying to determine what is contained in the bag, reports Fox32Chicago.

Hempstead County officials confirmed that Houston authorities reached out to them for assistance in the search for Maleah Friday morning.

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Geo quick facts: Fulton is a town in Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 201 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Hope Micropolitan Statistical Area. The community is named after steamboat inventor, Robert Fulton – Wikipedia.

AR Woman Afton Kay Bell Arrested Murder Of Father Jimmy Releford ‘Intentionally Struck With Vehicle’

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FAYETTEVILLE, AR. (THECOUNT) — Afton Kay Bell, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, has been identified as the woman arrested after fatally striking her father, Jimmy Releford, with a vehicle.

According to police, Bell, 35, and her father had been involved in a physical altercation when Bell entered a vehicle and intentionally drove over Releford.

Bell and Releford were allegedly engaged in a physical altercation at a home located on S. Woodsprings Dr in Fayetteville, near Happy Hollow Elementary School, when Releford exited the home and sat in a chair placed in the yard area.

That’s when Bell entered a vehicle and accelerated from the roadway into yard, striking Releford, according to witnesses. She then attempted to back up over the victim again.

Witnesses also told police Bell then got out of the car, went around the side of it and yelled at Releford while he was trapped underneath, reports 4029TV.

Releford was transported to an area hospital where he was later pronounced dead of blunt force trauma injuries suffered in the collision.

Fayetteville police charged Bell with first degree murder in the vehicular death of her father.

Officials say Bell admitted during an interview to intentionally striking Releford with a vehicle.

She is currently being held in the Washington County Detention Center.

According to social media, Bell is originally from Arlington, Texas.

Geo quick facts: Fayetteville is a city in northwest Arkansas. Near the University of Arkansas campus, the Clinton House Museum was the first home of Bill and Hillary Clinton. Vintage and modern airplanes are on display in a hangar at the Arkansas Air and Military Museum. To the west, Prairie Grove Battlefield State Park was the site of a Civil War battle. Mount Sequoyah Woods Trail runs through a thick forest – wikipedia.

AR Crawford County Speedway Race Car Driver Suffers Fatal Medical Episode During Event

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CRAWFORD COUNTY, AR. (THECOUNT) — A man died after suffering a heart attack while racing on the Crawford County Speedway.

District Four Volunteer Fire Department members were dispatched after a call came in Friday night after a race car driver experienced a medical episode, according to the Crawford County Department of Emergency Management.

Witnesses said that a racer came to a stop in the middle of a lap when he began to have a heart attack, reports 5NewsOnline.

The racer “did not make it to the hospital,” according to the Crawford County Coroner.

Crawford County Speedway is located on Arkansas 59, Van Buren, AR. According to their website the event for April, 12th, is listed as “Powder Puff 1st. Point Race, A Modified, Grand National, B Modified Pure Stock and the Mini Stock & Front Wheel Drive will Race.” It is unclear if these events were associated with Friday’s tragic incident.

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Geo quick facts: Van Buren is the second largest city in the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area and the county seat of Crawford County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located directly northeast of Fort Smith at the Interstate 40 – Interstate 540 junction – Wikipedia.

AR Teen Taylon Vail ID’d As West Junior HS Basketball Standout Shot Dead Friday While Playing Video Games In Grandmother West Memphis Home

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WEST MEMPHIS, AR. (THECOUNT) — Taylon Vail has been identified by family members as the West Memphis teen fatally shot while inside his grandmother’s home playing video games.

Vail, 16, was was named by family members in Friday morning’s fatal shooting in West Memphis. Police say the shooting occurred at the home of his grandmother in the 2000 block of East Harrison.

Vail was playing video games at his grandmother’s house when bullets started hitting the home. One bullet went through the wall, killing the teen, reports LocalMemphis.

Police and family members say that Vail was not the intended target, but they don’t know yet who pulled the trigger.

Vail was a standout basketball player and honor roll student at West Junior High School, according to reports.

Crittenden County Crime Stoppers is offering a $2,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest on either of the homicide cases from last Saturday and from Friday morning. If you have any information, please call West Memphis Police.

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Geo quick facts: West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 26,245 at the 2010 census, ranking it as the state’s 18th largest city, behind Bella Vista. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area, and is located directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee – Wikipedia.

Missing AR Man Rodney Letterman ID’d As Skull Found Near Devil’s Den State Park

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HEMPSTEAD COUNTY, AR. (THECOUNT) — Rodney Letterman, the hiker reported missing August 27, 2017 near a hiking trail in Devil’s Den State Park, has been identified as the skull found in the same area.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the skull found near Devil’s Den State Park as that of 33-year-old Letterman.

Police say a hiker found a human skull at the park.

The remains were sent to the crime lab, where they used DNA testing, to identify to whom it belonged, reports 4029TV.

Letterman was last seen one a hiking trail in Devil’s Den near Butterfield Trail with a friend, when the two became separated.

The Sheriff’s Office says at this time, they have been unable to determine the cause of death.

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Geo quick facts: Washington is a city in Ozan Township, Hempstead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 180 at the 2010 census, up from 148 in 2000. It is part of the Hope Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city is home to Historic Washington State Park – Wikipedia.

AR Man Quinton Laird ID’d As Suspect Dead After Pepper Sprayed By Augusta Police

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AUGUSTA, AR. (THECOUNT) — Quinton Laird has been identified as the man who died after apparently being pepper sprayed during an arrested by Augusta police officers.

Laird, 38, died in an area hospital after being pepper sprayed Thursday morning after police responded to calls of a disturbance at 601 Hough Street, in Augusta.

According to a statement from Arkansas State Police, Augusta police officers responded sometime after 3 a.m. when a resident inside the house reported a prowler outside the location. Laird was later accused of kicking a door open and going to bed.

According to the release, Laird was removed from the house by police and reportedly began to resist while officer attempted to cuff him. An officer to apply a chemical agent (pepper spray) to Laird who eventually became unresponsive.

Officers began life-saving measures and called for an ambulance to transport Laird to Searcy where a physician pronounced Laird dead at 4:47 a.m., reports Fox16.

The Arkansas State Crime Laboratory has been requested to determine manner and cause of death.

Special Agents of the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division have been assigned to the case and will present their findings to the Woodruff County Prosecuting Attorney.

Friends and family took to Facebook to remember Laird:

Geo quick facts: Augusta is a city in Woodruff County, Arkansas, United States, located on the east bank of the White River. The population was 2,693 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Woodruff County – Wikipedia.

AR Woman Katie Taylor ID’d As Victim In Monday Night Fatal Hindsville Crash

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HINDSVILLE, AR. (THECOUNT) — Katie Taylor, of Hindsville, Arkansas, has been identified as the victim in a fatal two-vehicle crash Monday night.

Taylor, 33, was operating a vehicle on State Highway 295, in Madison County Monday when the fatal crash occurred.

According to the crash report, Taylor failed to yield at the intersection and drove into the path of a westbound vehicle on State Highway 45, reports NWAHomepage.

The driver of the other vehicle involved sustained no injuries.

Anyone with possible information on the deadly crash may contact police at 911.

Geo quick facts: Hindsville is a town in Madison County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 75 at the 2000 census. Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. The community was named after John Hinds, a first settler – Wikipedia.

AR Man Basha Thomas ID’d As Victim Found Fatally Shot In West Memphis Vehicle Sunday Morning

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WEST MEMPHIS, AR. (THECOUNT) — Basha Thomas, of West Memphis, has been identified as the victim discovered suffering from fatal gunshot injuries while seated in a vehicle in West Memphis, Arkansas on Sunday morning.

Thomas, 24, was found shot and killed while sitting in a car in West Memphis, Arkansas, after shots were fired in the 2900 block of East Jackson Avenue, near S Loop Dr, in West Memphis, AR, around 6 a.m. Sunday Morning.

Officials responded to a call of shots fire and arrived to find the victim shot and killed while seated in a vehicle, reports Fox13Memphis.

No suspect or motive information was immediately provided by officials.

West Memphis Police say the investigation is ongoing.

Friends and family members took to Facebook to break the sad news:

According to social media, Thomas attended ASU Mid-South and West Memphis High School. He was originally from Memphis, Tennessee.

Anyone with possible information on the deadly incident should contact police at 911.

Geo quick facts: West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 26,245 at the 2010 census, ranking it as the state’s 18th largest city, behind Bella Vista. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area, and is located directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee – Wikipedia.