Man faces charges after deadly attack

A Sharp County man faces charges of first-degree murder and battery in connection with an attack that left an Ash Flat man dead and a woman seriously injured, Sheriff Mark Counts said.

Mark Shirley, 36, was ordered held without bail in the Sharp County jail in Ash Flat on Wednesday by Sharp County District Judge Mark Johnson.

Deputies were called to a home on U.S. 167 south of Ash Flat shortly after noon Monday. When they arrived, they found Mark Ballard and Amanda Shirley unresponsive in a bedroom. Both were covered in blood, Counts said.

Ages were not available for either victim.

The two were taken to a local hospital and later transported by medical helicopter to trauma centers.

Ballard died Tuesday evening, Counts said. Authorities sent his body to the state Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for an autopsy. Amanda Shirley was listed in stable condition Wednesday evening, Counts said.

Mark Shirley became a suspect during the investigation, Counts said. Deputies arrested him Monday evening in Lonoke and took him back to Sharp County.

He is related to Amanda Shirley, but Counts said he could not reveal the relationship because the investigation is ongoing. height, weight, blood sugar and blood pressure.

Board and benefits subcommittee member Shelby McCook said after the meeting that the board could consider adding the flu shot requirement in the future.

“It looked like they were having trouble logistically with coming up with some practical way to enforce it,” he said.

Marc Watts, senior legislative analyst for the Arkansas State Employees Association, said he didn’t know of any objections the association had voiced to the flu shot requirement.

The requirements that were recommended could save money for the plan and “have a positive effect on the health of the members,” he said.