Mental evaluations have been ordered for two of three suspects charged with capital murder and facing the death penalty for their role in the death of a Hot Springs woman last year.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Kara Petro filed a motion Monday in Garland County Circuit Court for a mental evaluation to be conducted on April Nicole Osborne, 23, of Hot Springs, who was allegedly involved in the murder of Laura Ann Dickerson, 58, who was found dead inside her residence on Oct. 18, 2019.
Osborne was arrested the next day along with Isabelle Marcial-Talley, 18, and Dillon Wayne Orrell, 31, both of Hot Springs. Each was charged with capital murder, punishable by death or life in prison, and aggravated residential burglary, punishable by up to life in prison.
Osborne and Orrell were also charged with a felony count of theft of property over $1,000, punishable by up to six years in prison, for allegedly stealing Dickerson's car during the incident. Marcial-Talley was not charged in the theft.
On Oct. 21, the state indicated it would seek the death penalty against all three suspects in the case.
Marcial-Talley's attorney, William James Jr., of Little Rock, had filed a motion for a mental evaluation on behalf of his client on Feb. 19. A hearing to determine fitness to proceed is set for Aug. 17 for Osborne and Aug. 18 for Marcial-Talley.
Osborne and Orrell had each pleaded not guilty to the charges against them on Nov. 1 in circuit court while Marcial-Talley pleaded not guilty to her charges on Nov. 5. All three have remained in custody in lieu of $500,000 bond since their arrests.
The cases against all three were ordered sealed, initially by Garland County District Court Judge Ralph Ohm on Oct. 21, and later by Garland County Circuit Court Judge Marcia Hearnsberger on Oct. 24 after the cases were bound over. A gag order was also issued in the case to limit pretrial publicity.
In a news release issued Oct. 19, the day of the suspects' arrest, Hot Springs police said the victim's murder was "not a random act" and was related to the theft of the car. The release stated officers who responded Oct. 18 to the Linwood Street residence in reference to a welfare check found Dickerson dead inside.
"It was also noted that Dickerson's car was missing," the release said. The investigation later determined Orrell, Osborne and Marcial were involved in the homicide.
"It appears that the victim and suspects knew each other and that this was not a random act. The case is still under investigation," the release said.