Prosecutors indicated they plan to seek the death penalty against a local man who allegedly shot his wife and daughter to death in 2015, upgrading both first-degree murder charges to capital murder at a hearing Monday in Garland County Circuit Court.
Eric Allen Reid, 57, who has remained in custody since his arrest the night of the shootings on Oct. 20, 2015, in lieu of $1 million bond, appeared before Judge John Homer Wright with his attorney, Willard Proctor Jr., of Little Rock, and pleaded not guilty to the amended charges.
Reid was set to stand trial June 28 on the original charges, punishable by up to life in prison, but Proctor requested a continuance in light of the amended charges which was granted by Wright. A motions hearing is now scheduled for June 26 with a trial date yet to be set.
Reid had previously pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to the original charges on Dec. 7, 2015.
The motion filed by prosecutors noted Reid "with the premeditated and deliberate purpose of causing the death of another person" caused the death of his wife, Laura J. Reid, 57, and his daughter, Mary Ann Reid, 32, who both lived at his residence.
The motion states Reid should receive the death penalty because of the presence of aggravating circumstances under the Arkansas statute, 5-4-604, defining capital murder, specifically alleging that Reid "knowingly created a great risk of death to a person other than the victim or caused the death of more than one person in the same criminal episode."
A gag order limiting pretrial publicity was previously issued by Wright, and Proctor has also filed a motion to suppress statements made by Reid to Garland County sheriff's investigators following his arrest, arguing they were in violation of his Fifth Amendment right to remain silent.
Reid surrendered to GCSD deputies in the driveway of his residence at 607 Northwood Trail when they arrived at the scene shortly after 9 p.m. on Oct. 20, 2015, after responding to a report of shots fired.
Deputies made entry into the house and discovered the bodies of Laura Reid and Mary Ann Reid. Also inside the house was Reid's younger daughter, 20, who also lived there, and Mary Ann Reid's two young children, none of whom were injured.
The younger daughter gave a statement to investigator Jennifer Tonseth, indicating her father had shot and killed her sister and mother and "relayed the details" to Tonseth.
After processing the crime scene, Investigator Terry Threadgill went to the sheriff 's department where he questioned Reid after advising him of his rights, and he reportedly provided a videotaped statement in which he admitted to shooting both victims.
Asked about the incident the next day, Threadgill said he couldn't elaborate except to say it was "a family squabble that got way out of control." At a news conference later that day, Garland County Sheriff Mike McCormick said there was "some discord going on in the family" and also declined to elaborate.
A weapon was recovered at the scene believed to be the handgun used to shoot the victims. McCormick noted there were multiple gunshots fired and the victims were hit "in the torso area."
"This was a horrific event in Garland County," he stated at the conference. "Our hearts go out to the victims, their family and friends and other members of the community at this time."
Northwood Trail is located off the 400 block of Surrey Road which runs off the 1300 block of Highway 7 north of Hot Springs.
Local on 04/11/2017