Harrison man wanted for killing wife captured in Boone Co.
A Harrison man accused of killing his estranged wife has been captured in an unincorporated area of Boone County after a four day search by law enforcement. According to a report from KY3 television in Springfield, 36 year old Matthew Jay Bolen was caught Thursday near Batavia.
Bolen was sought on charges of capital murder in connection with the shooting death of 26 year old Heaven Bolen, the mother of their 8 year old daughter and 4 year old son, who are currently in state protective custody. Heaven Bolen was allegedly shot in the head by her husband Sunday afternoon outside her home on West Prospect in Harrison. She died Monday morning in a Springfield hospital, according to Harrison Police Chief Paul Woodruff.
Bolen has been on the run from law enforcement since the shooting. He also faces charges of kidnapping.
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Additional arrest made in connection with Rice murders
A Gassville man was arrested Thursday morning in connection with the murders of Donald and Ladonna Rice on November 7th, 2015. Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says, 28-year-old Talmadge Beigh Pendergrass was arrested on a federal felony warrant charging him with making a false statement in the acquisition of a firearm.
Bolen was transferred from the Baxter County jail into the the custody of the United States Marshal’s office in Fayetteville Thursday afternoon, according to Sheriff Montgomery.
According to the sheriff, the arrest of Pendergrass by deputies from his office and the Arkansas State Police, followed an investigation into the purchase of a 9mm pistol, purchased at a local grocery store in Mountain Home, by Pendergrass for Nicholas Roos, that was used in the murder of the Midway couple at their home on County Road 508.
Nicholas Roos was convicted of capital murder and other charges after pleading guilty in Baxter County Circuit Court in May of last year. Two co-defendants, Zach Tyler Grayham and Mikayla Jordan Mynk, have also taken plea offers in circuit court for their involvement in the crimes. All three are currently incarcerated in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
During the investigation it was learned Roos and Pendergrass went to the Mountain Home store on the day prior to the murders. Roos made an application to purchase the handgun which was denied by the background check. Video evidence shows Roos gave cash to Pendergrass who then made an application to purchase the firearm, which was approved. Pendergraass, who took possession of the gun stated on the application he was the buyer, when in fact he was making the purchase for another person, Roos, which is a violation of the law.
Information was given to investigators by federal authorities who sought the indictment of Pendergrass.
According to 14th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Ethredge, the reason the case was turned over to the federal justice system was because federal penalties are more severe than those the state could impose for a similar offense.
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Vanscoy enters plea in sex case
A rural Mountain Home man made his first appearance in Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday in a case involving inappropriate sexual contact. Edward Vanscoy III pled not guilty to a rape charge filed against him after investigators followed up on allegations that a 12-year-old girl had been raped by Vanscoy in June of last year.
Vanscoy already faces charges in two other cases involving inappropriate sexual contact with underage females.
The victim in the latest charge told investigators that she had been at Vanscoy’s home late at night and that he had come into the room where she was staying and that he had forced himself on her. She said she knew Vanscoy and had “hung out” with him on prior occasions.
The girl said she had made unsuccessful attempts to fight Vanscoy off but was unable to prevent the alleged attack.
The allegations surfaced when the victim’s mother took her to the Baxter County Health Department for a screening to determine is she had a sexually transmitted disease. It was then that the victim made the rape allegation against Vanscoy and the Crimes Against Children Division of the Arkansas State Police became involved.
The girl’s underwear had been kept sealed in a plastic bag after the incident and DNA evidence found on the garment was eventually matched to a DNA sample obtained from the 19-yearly Vanscoy. According to court records, the match to Vanscoy could also be a match to any male related paternally to him.
In addition to the rape charge, Vanscoy also faces five counts of sexual assault and charges of sexual indecency with a child in cases filed earlier.
He is an inmate in the Baxter County Jail with bond set at $100,000. Judge Gordon Webb ordered Vanscoy to reappear in the newly filed rape case on March 23rd.
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Hopper named to Arkansan of the Year list
The Arkansas Times recently released their annual Arkansan of the Year list of Honorable Mentions. Among the 18 individuals on the 2016 list was former Arkansas State Representative Karen Hopper of Lakeview. Hopper’s surprise reaction, upon hearing the news, was “Wow!”
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The Times honored Hopper for inspiring a groundbreaking state audit that uncovered corruption in the General Improvement Fund spent by state legislators. The investigation has produced one criminal guilty plea with more charges expected, according to The Times. Hopper says that is what she thinks people expect of their state legislators.
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Hopper refers to the money in the General Improvement Fund as precious dollars. These funds a re tax payers money that they worked hard for, she says.
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Also named to the list was Republican State Representative Nate Bell, U. S. District Judge Brian Miller, Representative John Walker, Nate Powell, Kathy Webb, David Pryor, Mike Wilson, Chief Justice Dan Kemp, Miss America Savvy Shields, John Schenck and Robert Loyd, Monica Walters, Senator Dale Bumpers, Kevin Delaney, Governor Asa Hutchinson, Baker Kurrus and Jeff Henderson. Also making the Honorable Mention list was the Broadway Bridge in Little Rock and the topic of Racial Politics.
The entire article may be viewed at the Arkansas Times website, http://www.arktimes.com.
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Izard Co. sheriff investigating vandalism at Wideman church and cemetery
The Izard County Sheriff is investigating vandalism at the Flat Rock Church and Cemetery in Wideman. Izard County Sheriff Tate Lawrence says the vandalism, at the church and cemetery on State Highway 56, was reported Saturday. Upon investigation sheriff’s deputies found headstones and the interior and exterior of the church had been spray painted with graffiti and what is believed to be satanic symbols.
Anyone with information regarding the vandalism at the Flat Rock Church and Cemetery is asked to call the Izard County Sheriff at 368-4203.
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