Ryan James Lindsey
A man accused of being involved in the murder of 35-year-old Cody Stradford recently picked up new charges while an inmate in the Baxter County jail.
In late March, 28-year-old Ryan Lindsey was observed by a jail staff member, “waving a ‘shank’ made from a broken piece of Plexiglas around in his cell.”
Attempts to have Lindsey give up the homemade weapon voluntarily didn’t work and a special team was assembled to resolve the situation.
WANTED A DEAL
Lindsey is reported to have tried to bargain with the jailers, saying he would let them have the homemade knife if they would give him a can of “dipping tobacco.”
The “deal” proposed by Lindsey was rejected and the team made entry into Lindsey’s cell and were able to subdue him without any injuries.
Lindsey was removed from the cell and the “shank” was located in the toilet. A further search of the cell was conducted and other items were found, including a pen, screw and fishing line.
FIGHTING: NO BIG THING
One jail staff member reported he had recently listened to recordings of telephone conversations Lindsey had with people on the outside.
In the probable cause affidavit, it is alleged that during the calls, Lindsey made clear he had no concerns about assaulting fellow inmates or jail staff.
According to court records, Lindsey told investigators the large number of tattoos he sports “freaks people out.” He said he was a member of a gang and is frequently paid to beat people up “for some reason or another.”
The late March event resulted in Lindsey being charged with furnishing prohibited articles and impairing the operations of a vital public facility.
The jail disturbance case was filed May 6 on Arkansas Court Connect.
According to reports, Lindsey has also tended to be combative both with inmates and staff at his state prison unit.
The March disturbance occurred about nine days after Lindsey was returned to Baxter County from the Hidalgo County, Texas jail.
He had been held there since being arrested in the Brownsville area, along with another person charged in the Stradford murder 42-year-old Allison Cunningham.
NOW IN STATE PRISON
After Lindsey’s stop in the Baxter County jail in March, he was moved into the state prison system on earlier charges.
He is currently an inmate in the East Arkansas Maximum Security Unit at Brickeys.
RETURN TO CIRCUIT COURT
Lindsey made a short return visit to Baxter County to appear during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court May 6.
The purpose of his appearance was to enter not guilty pleas to all of the charges against him in four of his five open criminal cases.
Because he has proven so combative, Lindsey was the last person brought to a virtually empty courtroom late Thursday afternoon.
The court’s bailiff and other Baxter County sheriff’s deputies stood in close proximity to a shackled Lindsey as his attorney, Cody Dennis, announced his client would enter not guilty pleas to his charges.
Lindsey stood calmly through the procedure. He was returned to the state prison system shortly after his circuit court appearance.
LONG LIST OF CHARGES
According to court records, he had already entered a not guilty plea to a charge that he had been in possession of a motorcycle reported stolen from a Mountain Home residence in early July last year.
In addition to the new charges filed against him as a result of the situation in the jail, Lindsey is charged with capital murder, kidnapping, 2nd degree battery, arson, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
He is also charged with theft by receiving in two cases connected to Stradford’s murder. He is alleged to have been in possession of a gun and BMW Z4 automobile both of which were reported stolen.
Because of his lengthy criminal record, Lindsey will be tried as a habitual offender that would permit the option of enhancing his sentence.
THE MURDER
Lindsey is one of four people charged with being involved in Stradford’s murder. The others are Cunningham, 38-year-old Skylar Brazil and 35-year-old Ashley Hendricks.
All of the suspects lived in the Mountain Home area except Hendricks who lists an address in Siloam Springs.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Stradford was apparently lured to a house along Cresswell Drive on or about December 4 last year.
Investigators report that not long after entering a walkout type basement, Lindsey and Brazil are alleged to have began beating Stradford.
The attack was said to have lasted up to an hour while Stradford begged the pair to stop.
It is not yet known what brought on the deadly confrontation, but witnesses reported Stradford crying out several times, “I did not do this,” seeming to imply some sort of accusation had been made.
At some point, Stradford was shot and his body placed in his own vehicle, a silver Dodge Charger.
Lindsey and Cunningham are alleged to have taken the car to a remote area off Old Arkana Road where it was set on fire.
The car and Stradford’s remains were found and reported Dec. 16.
Among the charges filed against Lindsey and Cunningham are capital murder and arson. Brazil and Hendricks are not accused of either of those crimes.
The charges seem to shed light on the level of involvement by the parties.
The capital murder charge puts the death penalty on the table.
Currently, three of the suspects are jailed.
Lindsey and Brazil are in the East Arkansas Unit of the state prison system and Cunningham is an inmate in the Baxter County jail. Hendricks is free on $250,000 bond.
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