Three murder victims found in a home on Nevada Street earlier this month had "multiple gunshot wounds" to their bodies, according to the affidavits for two search warrants filed in connection with the case.
The bodies of Paul D. Power, 40, Dory Ann Power, 46, and Brenda Sue Lawson, 60, all of Hot Springs, were located shortly before 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 inside a residence at 208 Nevada St. when Hot Springs police responded there for a welfare check after being told by a witness there were three murder victims inside.
The witness further told police Nicholas Matthew Lewondowski, 34, of Hot Springs, had admitted he killed the victims and recruited the witness to help move two of the victims' vehicles, including a black 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix belonging to Dory Power that was taken to a vacant lot in the 100 block of Cherry Street, said the affidavits, which were filed Dec. 11.
Lewondowski was subsequently arrested on Dec. 6 around 7 a.m. at a residence at 347 Mazarn Road and charged with three counts of capital murder, punishable by the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
Information gained during his arrest led to the location of a white 2002 Chevrolet Suburban belonging to Paul Power about one mile away from the Mazarn Road residence.
Both the Suburban and Grand Prix were recovered by police and the search warrants for the vehicles were requested in the hopes of locating ballistics evidence, specifically firearms, ammunition, and cartridge casings, and other evidence including DNA from bodily fluids, fibers, latent prints, and electronic evidence such as cellphones or wireless communication devices, the affidavits state.
Police have not formally released any information concerning the cause or manner of death of any of the victims in the case. A gag order limiting pretrial publicity was issued Dec. 8 during a hearing in Garland County District Court during which Lewondowski pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Lewondowski, who was on parole at the time of his arrest, remains in custody on zero bond. A felony review hearing is set for Jan. 22 when the case will likely be bound over to Garland County Circuit Court.
The witness said Lewondowski and the three victims had visited him at his residence on Dec. 4. At one point, Lewondowski and the victims got into an argument about one member of the group stealing from another member and Lewondowski got agitated with all three of them.
The four of them left the witness' residence and drove to the Nevada Street house which was reportedly the residence of one of the victims. Lewondowski later called the witness to ask for help in disposing of the victims' vehicles.
When police responded to the Nevada Street residence, they reportedly found the rear door standing open and the bodies of the three victims inside lying in pools of blood.
Lewondowski has a lengthy criminal history dating back 15 years with more than 14 prior felony convictions, including a conviction for second-degree battery in 2003. He was charged with first-degree battery on Aug. 27, 2016, involving an attack on a fellow inmate at the jail, but the charge was later withdrawn for further investigation.
Local on 12/27/2017