A Hot Springs man pleaded not guilty Monday to felony charges in connection with the March 27 fatal fire at Polo Run Apartments, 126 Manor Lane, which claimed the life of a man yet to be positively identified.
Rayson Edward Clayton, 22, appeared Monday afternoon via video before Garland County District Court Judge Meredith Switzer and pleaded not guilty to capital murder, punishable by the death penalty or up to life in prison, and arson involving damages in excess of $100,000, punishable by up to life.
Bond for Clayton was set Monday at $500,000 on each charge, for a total of $1 million. Clayton, who listed a Banks Street address at the time of his arrest, remained in custody Tuesday.
A felony review hearing to determine if the charges will be transferred to Garland County Circuit Court is now set for May 14, and Clayton was appointed a public defender to represent him. Deputy Public Defender Tamra Barrett appeared Monday on Clayton's behalf, filing a motion for a gag order to limit pretrial publicity in the case, which was granted.
Hot Springs police are still awaiting the results of DNA tests to positively identify the male victim of the fire, Cpl. Kirk Zaner said Tuesday. Detectives had developed information and "have an idea" who the victim is, Zaner said previously, and obtained DNA samples from the victim and a potential relative for comparison at the state crime lab.
According to the probable cause affidavit on Clayton's arrest, the fire began in a common area on the first floor of the apartments shortly after Clayton's aunt, who had kicked him out of her first-floor apartment the day before, declined to let him back inside to pick up his belongings.
An acquaintance of Clayton's who was with him told police he heard Clayton threaten to "burn the place down" a few minutes before the fire started. Investigators believe the fire started with a sofa in the common area near where Clayton had been standing.
Police said there is no relation between Clayton and the victim who could not be readily identified due to the extent of the fire-related injuries he suffered. It is believed the victim lived on the second floor and was overcome by toxic fumes as he tried to escape down the stairs.
Clayton was previously arrested on Jan. 17 on a felony count of possession of drug paraphernalia, which was later amended to a misdemeanor. He is set for trial on that charge May 3 in district court. He had multiple prior arrests for misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass, usually adjudicated by time served.
On Sept. 25, 2014, Clayton was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of possession of a controlled substance, marijuana. He pleaded guilty to the charge Jan. 1, 2015, and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and six months' probation. He was later charged with failure to appear and failure to comply with court orders.
Court records show that, on Feb. 23, 2015, Dayspring Behavioral Health Services in Hot Springs recommended that Clayton be committed, noting he was "extremely mentally ill." On March 6, 2015, Clayton's mother filed a petition to involuntarily admit Clayton to a facility to be treated for mental illness.
In her petition, Clayton's mother stated Clayton had threatened to kill her, himself and "others around him." She said he had told her he would "kill black people" and she noted he was "talking to himself" and "hearing voices" and refused to take his medications.
Clayton and his mother were living at a residence on Skyview Terrace at the time and his mother indicated in her petition she had five witnesses to Clayton's behavior, including other people living with them.
A mental evaluation hearing was held March 9, 2015, and a commitment hearing scheduled, but it was canceled four days later and his mother withdrew the petition on March 17, 2015, and the case was closed.
On March 20, 2015, he was arrested for two counts of misdemeanor assault on a family or household member which he pleaded no contest to on Nov. 5, 2015, and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.
According to court documents, Clayton's mother called the court clerk regarding the charges against Clayton, noting she was the victim in one of the cases and wanted to drop the charges because her son "didn't mean to do it."
She stated her son was mentally ill and "didn't need to be in jail." She said he "needs help" and "just needs his medicine," noting, "When (Clayton) is on his meds he is the most loving son a mother could have."
Local on 04/04/2018