Tag: arkansas death row

Scotty Gardner Arkansas Death Row

scotty gardner 1

Scotty Gardner was sentenced to death by the State of Arkansas for the murder of a woman. According to court documents Scotty Gardner was recently released from prison after serving over two decades for attempted murder when he began a relationship with the victim. Scotty Gardner would murder the victim, Heather Stubbs, in a hotel room. Gardner would steal the victims possession and flee. Scotty Gardner was soon arrested, convicted and sentenced to death,

Arkansas Death Row Inmate List

Scotty Gardner 2021 Information

ADC Number 000985

Name: Gardner, Scotty R

Race CAUCASIAN Sex MALE Hair Color GRAY Eye Color GREEN

Height 68 inches Weight 215 lbs.

Birth Date 08/31/1960

Initial Receipt Date 10/31/1991

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Scotty Gardner More News

It took a jury 12 minutes to find Scotty Ray Gardner guilty of capital murder in the death of Heather Stubbs after a trial that lasted only two days.

Gardner was sentenced to death Wednesday for the murder of Stubbs at a Days Inn in Conway, which occurred in 2016.

According to police, Stubbs was found unconscious in a room at Days Inn on Oak Street. When officers arrived, they are said to have found her face down on the floor. Conway police tracked down the man who booked the room, 53-year-old Scotty Gardner. The next morning, Gardner was named as a suspect in Stubbs’ death. He was arrested on March 7 in Hot Springs and charged with second-degree murder.

During the trial, jurors heard testimony that it took Gardner four minutes to strangle Stubbs with a curling iron. Evidence presented showed Gardner had taken Stubbs’ valuables with him and headed for the casino after strangling her.

Gardner was on parole at the time of his arrest and has been in the Arkansas Department of Correction twice before. His convictions included criminal attempt to commit first-degree murder, first-degree battery, two weapons charges and a second-degree escape charge. He was last released from prison in December 2014.

The daughter and father of Stubbs described to the jury what life has been like since her death. Jurors also heard from Gardner’s ex-wife, who in 1990 was shot seven times by Gardner while she was six months pregnant. She said that she still has bullets lodged in her body, which includes fragments in her spine.

Gardner served 23 years in prison for that crime and was released shortly before meeting Stubbs. The prosecution used her testimony to show a pattern in Gardner’s behavior.

Back in 2016, Prosecutor Cody Hiland stated that Gardner and Stubbs were reportedly in a relationship and had been staying at the hotel for several days. Court records showed that Stubbs had previously filed an order of protection for her and her children against Gardner, but later called and asked that the order be dropped. After she did not show up for the hearing, the judge had no choice but to do so. On April 22, 2016, charges against Gardner were officially upgraded to capital murder. In the affidavits, Gardner said his anger took over that day after Stubbs “mouthed off.”

Gardner also said he wanted her to be quiet so he grabbed a nearby cord and strangled her. The prosecution played the confession tape to the jury over the course of the trial.

According to Prosecuting Attorney Carol Crews, jury selection began last week and opening statements started on Monday, August 20, 2018. The prosecution rested around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, August 21. After that, the defense did not call any witnesses.

https://www.thv11.com/article/news/crime/man-sentenced-to-death-after-found-guilty-of-killing-girlfriend-at-a-conway-motel/91-586532845

Eric Reid Arkansas Death Row

eric reid arkansas death row

Eric Reid was sentenced to death by the State of Arkansas for the murders of his wife and daughter. According to court documents Eric Reid was involved with an argument with his wife after they returned from eating out. Eric Reid would shoot his wife three times and her daughter four times causing their deaths. His other daughter would phone 911 and Eric Reid would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death.

Arkansas Death Row Inmate List

Eric Reid 2021 Information

ADC Number 000984

Name: Reid, Eric A

Race CAUCASIAN Sex MALE Hair Color GRAY Eye Color HAZEL

Height 70 inches Weight 278 lbs.

Birth Date 03/17/1960

Initial Receipt Date 03/12/2018

Facility Varner Supermax

Eric Smith More News

A man who said he thinks he shot his wife three times and his daughter four, has been sentenced to die by lethal injection.

A jury found Eric Allen Reid, 57, of Hot Springs guilty of two counts of capital murder for shooting and killing his wife and daughter, according to court documents. It took the jury of seven men and five women less than an hour to make the decision.

Eric Reid was arrested Oct. 20, 2015, according to police.

About midnight Oct. 19, 2015, police were dispatched to 607 Northwood Trail in Hot Springs after one of his daughters, Heather Reid, reported her dad shot and killed her mother Laura Reid and sister Mary Ann Reid in front of her, according to court documents.

When police arrived, her two children were also inside the residence. Heather Reid was 38 weeks pregnant at the time. She told police she administered CPR to her mother and sister, court documents state.

Heather Reid told police her mother, sister and she returned home after having dinner out and her dad was griping about one of the children not eating vegetables, court documents state.

Eric Reid corroborated Heather’s story, and added that when they returned home they turned on all of the lights in the house and he made a comment about their electric bill, which turned into an argument. He told investigators the family argued about other issues as well, and he was thinking about “bills and losing everything”. He said there was a lot of tension among the family members, court documents state.

Court documents state that Eric Reid told investigators he thinks he shot his wife of 26 years three times and daughter four times.

When asked what led him to shoot his wife and daughter, Reid told investigators, “I guess I got so mad or something. I think the point that really scrambled me was when she (daughter) hollered. She sounded so much like my ex-wife,” according to court documents.

He also told investigators, “I let a woman push me over the edge.” He also told investigators he and his daughter had a conflict of interest in parenting styles, according to court documents.

When asked during a mental evaluation whether he is concerned about his legal case, Reid said, “No, I’ve kind of given up on that. Whatever’s done is done, and I just have to let the good Lord carry me through whatever’s going to happen. I’m an easy-going person. I work hard and just want to enjoy life a little bit,” according to court documents.

https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/outreach/back-to-school/arkansas-man-sentenced-to-death-for-killing-wife-daughter/527-b19ebb43-057c-41c7-9ed6-7466c8563e50

Zachary Holly Arkansas Death Row

zachary holly arkansas death row

Zachary Holly was sentenced to death by the State of Arkansas for the murder of a six year old girl. According to court documents Zachary Holly would abduct Jersey Bridgeman from her Bentonville home on November 19, 2012 and would be sexually assaulted and murdered and left in a vacant house. Zachary Holly and his wife were frequent babysitters of Jersey Bridgeman and her sister became a prime suspect. A DNA test would match Zachary Holly to the crime scene and he would be arrested, convicted and sentenced to death. Jersey Bridgeman was involved in a prior abuse case where her father and stepmother kept her chained to a dresser. Her parents were arrested and sentenced to prison. Jersey Bridgeman would then move in with her mother whose neighbor was the Hollys

Zachary Holly 2021 Information

ADC Number 000981

Name: Holly, Zachary D

Race CAUCASIAN Sex MALE Hair Color BROWN Eye Color HAZEL

Height 66 inches Weight 155 lbs

.Birth Date 10/08/1984

Initial Receipt Date 06/01/2015

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Zachary Holly More News

Convicted child killer Zachary Holly was sentenced to death  for the rape and murder of six-year-old Jersey Bridgeman on Wednesday (May 27), officials say.

A jury found Zachary Holly guilty of capital murder on Wednesday (May 20), officials say, in the November 2012 death of six-year-old Jersey Bridgeman in Bentonville

The jury also found him guilty of rape, kidnapping and residential burglary. After the sentence was announced, Jersey Bridgeman’s family was seen crying and hugging. DesaRae Crouch, Jersey’s mother, said her daughter can finally be laid to rest.

“It has been pretty much an ongoing funeral, we no longer have to remember a bad day, we get to remember our baby we get to remember the good times and no longer have to focus on the nightmare,” Crouch said.

She said seeing Holly every day in court was “sickening.” Holly did speak to Jersey’s family after finding out his fate.

“I want to sincerely apologize for the pain I have caused, and I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me,” Holly said.

Crouch said she didn’t want to address Holly. She said she was glad Holly was put on death row.

“This is my daughter’s day, this is not his, he can’t take this away from her, it’s no longer a funeral we get to remember the good stuff,” Crouch said.

Benton County prosecutor Nathan Smith said he is grateful to the jury for the verdict , and said he is proud of his team of the hard work.

“When you look at this case and look at the crime that was committed, and what Jersey was deprived of, I do think that it’s her day and I do think it was a verdict for her,” Smith said.

Crouch said she is ready to move on to the next chapter of her life.

“I’m going to keep loving my other ones, i’m going to keep going on as a mom,” Crouch said.

Hours after hearing about Holly’s sentence, Jersey’s family held a grave-side memorial service for the little girl. More than a dozen doves were released into the air, and on Facebook, Crouch said they released the bird because “Jersey is truly set free.”

Around 30 friends, family members and local law enforcement attended the memorial.

It’s been nearly three years since Jersey’s murder in 2012, and some community members told 5NEWS they’re happy the trial is over.

“I’m really glad that it’s finally over to get it settled for the families, because of what they’ve been through with it happening years ago, so it’s finally finalized for them and my heart goes out to them,” Bentonville resident Trudi Cates said.

Dick Anderson said he feels bad for the family, because there is still a lot left ahead of them.

“There will be appeals and repeals and reviews and it will go on for a number of years, it will be in the case study books and so forth, it’ll be a fairly long drawn out process,” Anderson said.

Smith said Holly’s sentence will be appealed, which he said is typical in any case where someone is sentenced to death. The motion to appeal will be filed within the next 30 days. Holly’s execution date is currently set for Nov. 16, 2015

https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/outreach/back-to-school/child-killer-zachary-holly-sentenced-to-death/527-13f506b7-ba51-4276-ab63-df6a6c6af082

Randy Gay Arkansas Death Row

randy gay arkansas death row

Randy Gay was sentenced to death by the State of Arkansas for the murder of a woman. According to court documents Randy Gay, who had already been convicted twice of murder, would fatally shoot the victim, Connie Snow, and dumped her body in a forest. Randy Gay was convicted and sentenced to death. Randy Gay had previously murdered his father and his father in law

Arkansas Death Row Inmate List

Randy Gay 2021 Information

ADC Number 000980

Name: Gay, Randy W

Race CAUCASIAN Sex MALE Hair Color BROWN Eye Color BROWN

Height 72 inches Weight 178 lbs.

Birth Date 09/01/1958

Initial Receipt Date 01/20/2012

Facility Varner Supermax

Randy Gay More News

According to a Garland County Circuit Clerk, Randy Gay has been sentenced to death.

The sentencing phase started on Wednesday after the jury convicted him Tuesday of capital murder for the death of Connie Snow.

Prosecutors say Gay shot and killed Snow in 2011, and left her body in the Ouachita National Forest. Gay was previously convicted for killing his father-in-law in 1978 and his father in the early 90’s.

https://www.thv11.com/article/news/local/randy-gay-sentenced-to-death-in-murder-trial/91-189304288

Robert Holland Arkansas Death Row

robert holland arkansas death row

Robert Holland was sentenced to death by the State of Arkansas for a prison murder. According to court documents Robert Holland was serving a life sentence for murder and refused to take a cellmate. The prison would discipline him for this so Holland agreed to have a cellmate. Twelve hours after the cellmate moved in Robert Holland would fashion a noose and murder the victim, Matthew Scheile. Robert Holland would be convicted and sentenced to death.

Arkansas Death Row Inmate List

Robert Holland 2021 Information

ADC Number 000977

Name: Holland, Robert J

Race CAUCASIAN Sex MALE Hair Color BROWN Eye Color BROWN

Height 73 inches Weight 213 lbs.

Birth Date 11/28/1968

Initial Receipt Date 11/12/1991

Facility Varner Supermax

Robert Holland More News

After deliberating just 30 minutes Thursday, a Lincoln County jury sentenced a prison inmate already serving a sentence of life without parole to death in the slaying of another inmate.

Robert Holland, now 45, was convicted of capital murder in the Dec. 2, 2012, death of Matthew Scheile, 22, in a cell in the east building at Cummins Prison.

Prosecuting Attorney S. Kyle Hunter said Friday that because the death of Scheile was “so premeditated,” the state decided to give the jury the option of imposing the death penalty, which they did.

According to the State Police investigation, Holland, who was convicted of capital murder in Union County in 1991, was housed in a two-man cell at the prison and had previously refused to accept a cellmate, which resulted in disciplinary actions. Holland finally agreed to allow another person in the cell with him, and Scheile was killed about 12 hours after he was put in the cell with Holland.

Hunter said Holland waited until Scheile was asleep before making a noose out of a bed sheet and strangling Scheile, and when Holland was questioned, he admitted the crime.

Hunter said jury selection, which began Tuesday, took two days before a jury of seven women and five men were seated, and the trial itself was completed in one day.

The jury took about 20 minutes to find Holland guilty of capital murder.

Hunter said the death penalty was the first that has been imposed in the 11th West Judicial District since Kenneth Williams was sentenced to death in the 1999 death of Cecil Boren outside Cummins Prison after Williams had escaped from prison. Williams is still on death row.

“The legislature is going to have to fix the execution procedures before anybody is executed,” Hunter said.

Hunter and Chief Deputy Prosecutor Wayne Juneau represented the state, while John Cone and Rebekah Kennedy of the Public Defender’s Office represented Holland. Circuit Judge Rob Wyatt Jr. presided at the trial.