Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Second teen held in Hot Springs man’s killing

- STEVEN MROSS THE SENTINEL-RECORD

HOT SPRINGS — A second teen was arrested Friday in connection with the March 14 shooting of a man whose body was found in Hollywood Park, Hot Springs police said in a release.

Alisa Kay Andry, 19, of Hot Springs is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated robbery, each punishable by up to life in prison, in the death of Joshua Severns, 20, of Hot Springs. She was being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond.

Payton Jason Mann-Douthit, also of Hot Springs, was arrested around 11:30 a.m.

Thursday near the corner of Spring and Palm streets and charged with capital murder, punishable by the death penalty or up to life in prison, and aggravated robbery in connection with Severns’ death.

Mann-Douthit, who turned 18 last month and remains in custody in lieu of $500,000 bond, pleaded innocent to both charges Friday morning in Garland County Circuit Court and denied the allegation­s in a felony firearm enhancemen­t filed by prosecutor­s which could potentiall­y add an additional 15 years to his sentence.

Garland County Public Defender Tim Beckham appeared with Mann-Douthit for Friday’s arraignmen­t, but court documents note Mann-Douthit told Judge John Homer Wright “he understood his family was attempting to arrange for private counsel.”

A hearing to determine the admissibil­ity of any statements Mann-Douthit made to Hot Springs police after his arrest is set for Sept. 14, and an attorney review hearing is set for Aug. 3 to see if private counsel has been obtained.

Wright had issued a gag order Wednesday limiting pretrial publicity in the case and had ordered the cases sealed for both Mann-Douthit and Andry at the request of prosecutor­s Tuesday. Both cases had been filed direct to circuit court Tuesday, the same day warrants were issued for both suspects.

According to news releases from the Police Department, police responded at around 11:38 p.m. March 14 to a report of shots fired in the area of Hollywood Park, 411 Hollywood Ave., and found Severns dead from a gunshot wound behind the restrooms.

During the investigat­ion, it was determined Severns left his residence on foot to meet someone and was directed to certain locations prior to making it to the park.

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