A local woman pleaded not guilty Friday to an amended charge of first-degree murder for the Nov. 17 fatal shooting of a local man on Ouachita Avenue, according to court records.
Leslie Rita Jane Sinclair, 25, who lists a Bellview Street address, was initially charged with second-degree murder, punishable by up to 30 years in prison, for the death of Shane Roy Sowers, 43, of Hot Springs, but prosecutors amended the charge to first-degree murder, punishable by up to life in prison, during a hearing Friday in Garland County District Court.
Sinclair, appearing via video before Judge Joe Graham, entered her plea of not guilty and a review hearing to determine if the charge will be bound over to Garland County Circuit Court is now set for Jan. 5. Sinclair had been held on a $250,000 bond after her arrest late Wednesday on Interstate 55 in Mississippi County, but Graham increased the bond to $500,000.
Graham also granted a motion by the state to issue a gag order limiting pretrial publicity in the case.
According to the affidavit, Hot Springs police responded to a report of a shooting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, shortly after 5 p.m. in the 600 block of Ouachita Avenue. Officers arrived to find a male victim, later identified as Sowers, lying on the sidewalk with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his back.
He was transported by LifeNet to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Police viewed video surveillance from the Holiday Motel, 642 Ouachita, that reportedly showed a woman, later identified as Sinclair, pull an unknown caliber handgun from her purse and follow behind Sowers as he was leaving the motel property.
Sowers continued walking east on the sidewalk and was approaching the driveway of the Best Court Motel, 638 Ouachita, next door to the Holiday, when Sinclair allegedly fired a single shot, striking him in the back.
Sowers fell to the ground and Sinclair ran back to her vehicle, a blue Chevrolet Malibu, that was parked at the Holiday Motel. She then sped away and was last seen headed west on Ouachita.
Detectives recognized Sinclair in the video from previous "law enforcement interactions" and a warrant was issued for her arrest on Wednesday.
According to court records, Sinclair has no prior convictions, but was arrested Oct. 12 on a misdemeanor count of theft of property under $1,000 involving CVS Pharmacy. She pleaded not guilty to the charge on Nov. 3 and is set for trial in district court on Dec. 10. A court order barring her from contact with CVS was also issued.
Sowers, a previously convicted felon, was being sought on a felony warrant for failure to appear at the time of the shooting. He was arrested Aug. 11 on a felony charge of breaking or entering and was free on a $2,500 bond. He reportedly failed to appear for his arraignment in circuit court on Oct. 26 resulting in the warrant being issued.