A man accused of shooting another man 22 times has been arrested on homicide charges, according to local sources. Arkansas police in Baxter County arrested the 59-year-old man after he allegedly shot another boarding house resident. He was held on a $1 million bond, common for suspects in violent crimes, and was due in court as of Dec. 14.
According to the arrest report, bystanders called 911 after multiple gunshots rang out in a Mountain Home boarding house. The accused man is believed to have complained multiple times about the noise level emanating from his neighbor’s home, a 71-year-old man. The accused man claims the older man entered his residence, threatened to evict him and punched him three times in the chest.
The younger man, who was apparently armed with a pistol, said the older man made moved to strike him again, whereupon he allegedly opened fire at near point-blank range. The 71-year-old was struck 18 times in the chest, at which point the accused man is believed to have fired another four rounds into the man’s motionless body. He was detained attempting to flee the scene after deputies shot at his vehicle, causing him to crash. Once he was released from the hospital, he was charged with felony criminal mischief, aggravated assault and first-degree murder.
While the man allegedly admitted to the violent crimes of which he is accused, such an admission is not necessarily admissible in Arkansas court. It will be up to the prosecution to prove the man was responsible for the murder, acting in a premeditated manner. His criminal defense team will take all steps necessary to protect his legal rights during his court proceedings, including challenging prosecution evidence and police procedures where necessary.
Source: USA Today, “Homicide: Man shot 22 times because of noise complaint, deputies say“, Josh Dooley, Dec. 12, 2017