Local man sentenced for 2016 homicides

Camden
Camden

The first of two suspects charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the Sept. 8, 2016, shooting deaths of an adult and teen in separate incidents pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Anthony James Camden, 25, who was set to stand trial Thursday in Garland County Circuit Court, pleaded guilty to both murder counts and was sentenced to 40 years in prison on each and to three counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of first-degree battery and was sentenced to 15 years on each count, all to run concurrently.

His alleged accomplice, Stephon Tyrone Harris, 22, who remains in custody in lieu of $500,000 bond, is set to stand trial on the same charges on Jan. 28, 2019, and as part of the plea deal with Camden he agreed to testify for the state against Harris. Camden has been in custody since the day of the shootings, so court costs were expunged for time served.

Camden and Harris were each first charged with first-degree murder for the shooting death of Tyler Donaldson, 23, at 311 Lacey St. on the evening of Sept. 8, 2016, during which four other people were struck by gunshots, resulting in the additional charges of attempted murder and first-degree battery.

The two were later each charged with a second count of first-degree murder for the death of Colby Wilder, 17, whose body was found on Sept. 9 in a ditch alongside a driveway in the 4000 block of Spring Street. The area where Wilder's body was found was near Donaldson's residence, and it is believed Wilder was shot the morning of Sept. 8.

Camden was arrested shortly after the Lacey Street shooting, while Harris was arrested Sept. 14, 2016, after an extensive manhunt. They each were initially charged with four counts of first-degree battery for the other shootings, but three of the battery charges were later amended to criminal attempt at first-degree murder.

According to the affidavit on the murder of Wilder, the teen's body was found the afternoon of Sept. 9 and was not immediately identified. Garland County sheriff's investigators recovered five .40-caliber shell casings at the scene and it was later determined Wilder died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds.

A witness later told investigators that Camden, Harris and Wilder came to his residence on Arnett Circle in Camden's car between 4 and 4:30 a.m. Sept. 8. He said Camden and Harris made comments that Wilder "needed his (expletive) kicked," but did not elaborate further. He said the three left about 15 to 20 minutes later and noted he could hear Camden's vehicle travel north on Westinghouse Drive and then turn east on Spring Street.

A second witness, who lived at Donaldson's residence, stated he heard several gunshots at the end of the driveway early on the morning of Sept. 8 and then heard what sounded like Camden's vehicle leaving the area.

When interviewed, Camden initially claimed he dropped Wilder off in the area of Westinghouse and Ridgeway Street a couple of nights earlier and had not seen him since. He later identified Harris as the one who shot Wilder and admitted he was there when the shooting occurred, drove Harris away from the scene and never reported the incident to authorities.

The shell casings from the Spring Street shooting were later reportedly matched to the casings on Lacey Street.

According to the affidavit on the Lacey Street shooting, a female resident at 311 Lacey St. told Hot Springs police that Harris, Camden and Donaldson came to her home looking for a 17-year-old male. She said the 17-year-old had argued with Camden earlier regarding the juvenile's older brother, Cameron Guyton, 20, owing Camden money.

She said Camden wanted to fight the juvenile, and stood in the driveway holding a handgun and yelling. At one point, Donaldson started to fight the juvenile and Guyton. Camden raised his gun and tried to fire it, but it jammed. As Camden tried to fix his gun, Harris allegedly pulled out a handgun and started shooting.

Donaldson, Guyton, George Watson, 53, Skie Guyton, 19, and the 17-year-old juvenile were all wounded by the gunfire. Donaldson was airlifted to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock where he later died from his injuries. The other four victims were transported by LifeNet to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs.

Camden admitted to being in possession of a handgun at Lacey Street. He said the juvenile and Guyton took Donaldson to the ground and started hitting him, and he had raised his handgun toward the two, attempting to get them off Donaldson. Because his gun would not fire, Harris then raised his weapon and starting shooting.

Local on 10/30/2018

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