Photos: (from left) Caleb William Nance and William Dean Nance
The suspect charged with first-degree murder in a Marion County homicide allegedly told investigators he shot the victim, after 49-year-old Jerry Don Hensley pointed a gun at him. According to the probable cause affidavit filed Thursday, 19-year-old Caleb William Nance said he was carrying a 30-30 rifle for protection from bears and shot Hensley in self-defense.
Nance allegedly told officers Hensley followed him on a dirt bike to an area at the intersection of Spring Lake Lane and MC 5019 in St. Joe.
He said Hensley stopped and was getting off the bike, and he believed the victim was “reaching for something so he shot him from about 25 or 30 yards away.”
Nance said he was scared and went home to clean the gun to get rid of evidence, “because he had seen a lot of cop shows.” He allegedly said he learned on the shows you get rid of evidence by cleaning the gun.
It was Nance who notified the Marion County Sheriff’s Office March 26 he was checking his mail with his dad, 63-year-old William Dean Nance, and found what they believed to be Hensley’s body near the mailboxes at the intersection.
Officers located the body next to a motorcycle and immediately noticed a gunshot wound to the face of the deceased.
When the body was moved in an attempt to locate a weapon, a second gunshot wound was detected in the left side of the chest.
The search for a weapon was unsuccessful. Arkansas State Police were called for assistance, and the body was sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner (ME).
Following a conversation Monday with the ME, who ruled the death as a homicide, interviews were scheduled with the father and son on Tuesday.
William Nance led investigators to believe he was not aware of Hensley’s death until he and his son found the body after noticing buzzards while checking the mail.
William Nance allegedly told investigators he learned from someone at a nursing home Hensley was killed because he “heard he was shot in the head and chest.” He also told officers there were no firearms in the family’s home.
In a simultaneous interview in another room, Caleb Nance allegedly admitted to the murder of Hensley.
Caleb Nance said after the shooting, he went home and told his father what happened, claiming it was self-defense.
Caleb Nance reportedly told investigators his father “went to the body to look for anything that would help him.” He said William Nance “did something with the ammunition from the gun.”
He said his father cleaned the alleged murder weapon and wrapped it in plastic, before hiding the gun under an abandoned house next to their property.
Executing a search warrant at the house, officers located the 30-30 rifle.
State Police assisted Marion County officers with another crime scene search where three 30-30 casings were located, consistent with what Caleb Nance had described.
In addition to the first-degree murder charge, Caleb Nance is facing a felony count of tampering with physical evidence.
William Dean Nance is being held on felony charges of hindering apprehension or prosecution and tampering with evidence.
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