According to their YTD report, which shows crimes from January to the end of May 2021, there have been roughly 27 murders in Little Rock alone. . When you click through real estate links on our site, we earn an affiliate commission. Murders have increased in Arkansas, Little Rock at a faster rate than the U.S. as a whole, data shows by Teresa Moss | September 28, 2021 at 7:05 a.m. Police tape The number of murders in. The 4 different instances happened between Aug 2020 & Apr 2021. Officers also found Jamion Sims, 26, of Blytheville shot inside the SUV. While homicide offenses in Little Rock are up 38% over the last five years, it is important to note violent crime has trended upward across the nation. When the officer arrived, the shirtless man was beating his 15-year-old son with a rock in the head and face and, and the officer ordered him to stop, Baker said. Most of these recent Little Rock murders have not been solved, and law enforcement continues to investigate their homicides. No one believes in the sanctity of life more than the men and women of the Fort Smith Police Department. It simply states where murders occurred most frequently on an absolute and rate basis. You may find yourself wondering, Why is Arkansas crime rate so high? Although there is not a single, nor a simple, answer to this complex question, it can be assumed that Little Rocks crime rate is higher than smaller towns in Arkansas due majorly to its size and population. Looking at this year to date, the answer to how many murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, 2021 or how many homicides in Little Rock, Arkansas, 2021 can be found on the citys government website. The COVID-19 pandemic led to school closures and left millions of Americans out of work. "Anytime you look at any old case it becomes difficult," Channell said. And Im thankful for our community, that always pulls together when tragedy strikes. Logs detailing the chain of custody and other specifics of when evidence from the West Memphis Three case was transferred from the state Crime Lab to West Memphis are confidential and only available to prosecutors, defense attorneys and public defenders, Channell said. ", "We will keep fighting," said Davis, who produced documentaries about the murders. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Since the beginning of 2021 through the end of May, there have been 27 murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, alone. Although adjusted for differences in age-distribution and population size, rankings by state do not take into account other state specific population . The Most Dangerous Cities In Arkansas For 2022 Helena-West Helena Pine Bluff Little Rock Newport West Memphis Osceola El Dorado Forrest City Paragould Fort Smith The top ten most dangerous places in Arkansas should come as no surprise to the good people of Arkansas. . By the numbers: Arkansas had a record number of violent crimes in 2020, a rate of 672 per 100,000 residents. A police officer was responding to a 911 caller Sunday morning who reportedly heard yelling and screaming and then saw a shirtless man assaulting a person on the ground, Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker said in a news conference. Ledell Lee was executed in Arkansas in 2017. Feb. 28A 31-year-old Thurston County man has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his parents in 2021. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. There were a total of 321 murders in Arkansas in 2020, or 10.6 for every 100,000 people the third highest murder rate among states. September 7, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. A Camden man has been charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon in connection with the August 31 shooting of Greg Askew. Datatable showing data for the United States Map figure. Another of many Arkansas killers, who is considered to have been a spree killer, is Ronald Gene Simmons Sr., who killed 16 people in a week-long murder spree in 1987. More specifically, in Little Rock, Arkansas most populated city, in 2018 the homicide rate was 20.07 per 100,000 residents. Crime Stats. According to Project: Cold Case, from 1965 to 2019 there were around 9,951 murders in Arkansas alone. While it may be years before the precise causal factors are identified, the effects are being felt in communities across the country. Each one of us are sworn to protect it at all costs. April 30, 2021, 4:42 PM ET Little Rock Police Scramble To Identify Suspected Serial Killer After Multiple Stabbings Arkansas authorities are asking the public for assistance in identifying a possible serial killer who they say is behind multiple stabbings that have occurred in Little Rock since August. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette is the largest source for award winning news and opinion that matters to you. There were a total of 672 violent crimes reported for every 100,000 people in the state in 2020, compared to 399 per 100,000 nationwide. Arkansas VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 3,025,891 United States VIOLENT CRIMES Population: 331,888,310 Property Crime Property Crime Comparison (per 1,000 residents) 100 75 50 25 0 26.47 National Median: 19 Arkansas My Chances of Becoming a Victim of a Property Crime 1 in 38 in Arkansas Arkansas Property CRIMES Population: 3,025,891 Crime stats are updated weekly, the result of the LRPD's COMPSTAT meeting. Next 10 CitiesHow we calculated the murder capitals of ArkansasWhile 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. Any ties went to the larger city. As of Friday afternoon, Benca said Echols' legal team had not received a response from the West Memphis Police Department to their FOIA request. An investigation in September showed that the number of people shot, stabbed or seriously hurt by another person in Little Rock in 2021 stood at 301, three times the total seen in 2015. Little Rock with 38. Updated We must note that this report is not an analysis of the effectiveness of local police departments. For instance, for every 100,000 people in 2019, there had been 1,609.2 violent crimes in Pine Bluff. "That is what I am being told, that there was a fire many, many years ago.". There were 'only' 26 cities in Arkansas where a city reported a murder to the FBI, meaning 36 places had no murder. As of April 8, Shyheim Carter, 26, Laquincy Nance Jr., 25, Deontay Penny, 24, and Derrick Penny, 25, all of Blytheville were in custody on suspicion of murder-1st degree in the shooting. Missouri The fourth-highest assassination rate in the USA is of Missouri as 14 per 100,000 inhabitants. Classmates at Weaver Elementary School, the three were active in their Cub Scout troop and responsible enough to be trusted to roam their neighborhood without supervision. It is our seventh time ranking the most places with the most murders per capita in Arkansas and is updated for 2021. Any ties went to the larger city. Again, these statistics are an indication of where crimes occur, not a statement about the effectiveness of the law enforcement in the areas they serve. Officers located and confronted suspects at Denny and Walls Street, armed with assault rifles, as they attempted to fled the area in an SUV, police said. West Memphis Mayor Marco McClendon said via phone Friday that he had confirmed with the West Memphis Police Department that some of the evidence "might have been destroyed" in a fire "around 15 years ago. Police said Derrick Penny was also shot and received a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. These Uniform Crime Reports show not only the information for the state as a whole, but also include data for many cities and counties as well, organized by the law enforcement agency. The rates of violent crime in Arkansas are largely due to violence in a few cities. Chrestman informed attorneys that after the 2011 Alford Plea, "some of the evidence ended up 'lost,' some of the evidence was 'misplaced' and some of the evidence was 'destroyed by fire' in a building that burned down,'" according to the Freedom of Information Act request submitted to the West Memphis Police Department seeking detailed records of how evidence was catalogued and where it was stored. The two most recent killings in Little Rock now have the city in the middle of the deadliest year it has seen in nearly three decades. . There is a homicide investigation in Hot Springs involving a 32-year-old woman found. The three young men would later be released from prison, and the case would remain in a gray area among police and the public, with some believing the three men are guilty, and others believing that they are innocent. Some of the biggest unsolved murders in Arkansas include the 1994 murder of Melissa Missy Witt, the 1995 murder of Marlo Taylor, and the 1987 double murder of Don Henry and Kevin Ives, among countless others which receive much less media attention. Your chance of being a victim of violent crime in Fort Smith is 1 in 90 and property crime is 1 in 18. "The state of Arkansas continues to attempt to prevent this testing from happening. As for a motive, police believe the four suspects had gotten into a shoot-out with three additional suspects, who were on foot, near Myrtle and Walls. Dugan and his wife, who wasnt named by authorities, were reinterviewed by investigators earlier this month after a medical examiner ruled the newborns death a homicide. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Police have been investigating the babys death ever since they were called to Dugans home in Fayettevilleon Aug. 29 following reports the girl was in cardiac arrest. (KY3) - Newton County deputies arrested one person for questioning in the death investigation of a man near Compton. Dugan allegedly told detectives that he couldnt remember if he had been sleepwalking when the girl suffered the fatal injuries. Police in Little Rock, Arkansas, are looking for a serial killer who has been tied to four seemingly random knife attacks that occurred between August 2020 and April 2021, resulting in three deaths. Finally, some unsolved central Arkansas murders include the 2011 murder of Kimberly Steele, the 2002 murder of Jane Murdaugh, the 1987 murder of Sandra Lynn Williams, and the 1995 murder of Robin Lynn Farnsworth, among others. - The man who Camden police say killed a mother and 4-year-old before skipping town and going into hiding will spend the rest of his life in prison. Murder warrants were also issued for Westmorland, Williams and Johnson. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Evidence requested by attorneys for new DNA testing in one of the most high-profile, savage murder cases in Arkansas history has been lost or destroyed by fire, dashing hopes that the men . "We don't have the physical storage space to keep all the homicide evidence for the state of Arkansas. Some experts speculate that each of these factors likely played a role in the rising homicide rate. Please pray for all of us.. Arkansas, USA : C : Hoyt Franklin CLINES March 25, 1981: 1: Arkansas, USA : Johnie Michael . Denver gang member gave 14-year-old permission to open fire on woman with AR-15 after fender-bender, DA alleges Neshan Johnson, 20, is on trial for murder over his alleged role in 2021 shooting of . plans and enthusiasm Since their release, attorneys and supporters of the West Memphis Three -- who have been the subject of numerous articles, movies and books -- have been working to clear their names. Investigators thought the murders were connected to a Satanic ritual. "We remain hopeful that we will unravel this case and discover who committed these crimes," Echols' spouse, Lorri Davis, said via phone Friday from New York City where the couple lives. David, Paiden and Grayson's bodies have been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock for autopsies. Pregnant Arkansas nurse, 23, her toddler, 2, are shot dead by her husband before he turns gun on himself in double murder-suicide. Updated 10:02 AM EDT, Sat May 22, 2021 Link Copied! The state's homicide rate was up 36% from 7.8 per 100,000 Arkansans in 2019 to 10.6 in 2020. Although many of Arkansas cold cases will or have remained cold for decades, and often times run completely out of leads as tips run out, there have been countless Arkansas cold cases solved and Arkansas murders solved in the past few years thanks to technological advancements as well as advancements in DNA technology. Murdaugh is accused of killing his wife Margaret and youngest son Paul at their family property in June of 2021. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Some unsolved murders in Little Rock, Arkansas, include the 1989 murder of Anita Shell, the 2015 murder of Ebby Steppach, and the 1993 murder of Jerry Parks, among many others. Context: Arkansas' numbers are probably more accurate overall than much of the country's because of the way the state reports them, Drawve says. Some of the biggest unsolved murders in Arkansas include the 1994 murder of Melissa Missy Witt, the 1995 murder of Marlo Taylor, and the 1987 double murder of Don Henry and Kevin Ives, among many others. Over the years, roughly 7,797 of those murders in Arkansas were solved, leaving over 2,100 unsolved Arkansas murders today. UPDATE: Jory Worthen, an Arkansas man accused of killing Alyssa Cannon and her child Braydon Ponder in 2019 was set to appear in court in November 2021, charged with two counts of Capital. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios NW Arkansas. All rights reserved. Were law enforcement officers investigating serial killings in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in mid-April, 2021? 2021, according to the park service. The 2019 homicide rate in Arkansas, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigations 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. David Pennington said Elizabeth Haynie, 34, was arrested after deputies were dispatched to her home at 11:50 p.m. Monday evening, where they . A Marion woman was convicted of murder Friday in relation to the 2022 shooting death of an 8-year-old girl. One of the individuals who will be included in Arkansas serial killer list is James Waybern Hall, also known as Big Jim, who was convicted of killing 4 people in 1944 and 1945. Court documents show Jory Worthen accepted a plea deal that includes never being eligible for parole. Dugan allegedly returned 10 minutes later to find the baby choking on her milk. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Montana Murder Mysteries: The Murdered Priests Part II. 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