Funeral services set for Stone County deputy

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Funeral arrangements are set for a Stone County deputy killed last week in the line of duty. According to Eddie’s Family Funeral Home, a service for 56-year-old Mike Stephen will be Wednesday at 1 p.m. in the Harold Ray Jeffrey Gymnasium on the campus of Calico Rock High School. Visitation will be at the gym Tuesday evening from 6 until 8. Burial will be private.

The sheriff’s office received a call just after 8 a.m. Thursday of a domestic welfare check at a residence on Flag Road in the southwestern portion of Stone County. Sergeant Stephen arrived over a half hour later and was speaking with a female, later identified as 32-year-old Erica Johnson, when gunfire erupted. Sergeant Stephen and the suspect, 39-year-old Samuel Fullerton, were both pronounced dead from gunshot wounds. Johnson suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Sergeant Stephen was a 20-year law enforcement veteran and a veteran of the United States Army. He also served as the chief of the Pineville Fire Department.

Stephen is survived locally by his wife Susan; three sons, Mike Stephen Jr. of Mountain View and Logan and Brandon Stephen of Pineville; his parents, Joe and Linda Stephen of Pineville; two brothers, Daniel and Mark Stephen of Pineville; and one of three grandchildren, Ryker Stephen of Mountain Home.

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