Robert William Glover, 18, of Jessieville, the second of three suspects charged with first-degree murder in connection with the 2013 death of 71-year-old Dan Roberson, of Jessieville, was sentenced to 25 years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to the charge Monday. Ethan Patrick Salee, 20, was convicted of first-degree murder in the case Jan. 21 and sentenced to 30 years.
Sallee was convicted after a two-day trial in Garland County Circuit Court.
A nine-woman, three-man jury deliberated for an hour and 15 minutes before finding Sallee guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Roberson, whose body was found July 13, 2013. After a brief sentencing hearing, the jury deliberated for an hour and 15 minutes again before recommending a sentence of 30 years in prison.
A third accomplice, Chestly Wayne Gaston, 22, is still awaiting trial. All three were initially charged with capital murder, but the charge against Sallee has been amended to first-degree murder, punishable by up to life in prison.
The affidavits against the three allege they went to Roberson’s residence to rob him and Gaston attacked and strangled him and later stabbed him, and then all three initially fled to Texas in Roberson’s 2012 Chevrolet Silverado pickup. Sallee and Glover later returned after Gaston reportedly abandoned them and were arrested. Gaston was arrested three days later in Texas and extradited back to Hot Springs.