Man arraigned in slaying case

2nd suspect’s hearing reset

FAYETTEVILLE — One of two men who police say killed a Springdale man in retaliation for sexually abusing a girl was arraigned in Washington County Circuit Court on Wednesday while the other had his arraignment reset.

Reginald Larue Baker, 33, of Seligman, Mo., and Daniel Paul Blanks, 43, of Fort Smith are accused of killing Richard Phillips, 39, on Nov. 23 because they believed he had sexually abused a girl they knew when she was 6 years old, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Both men are charged with capital murder, kidnapping and residential burglary. If convicted, capital murder is punishable by the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. Kidnapping is punishable by 10-40 years or life in prison.

Baker pleaded innocent and was given a court date of May 17 before Washington County Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay.

Blanks’ arraignment was reset to Friday.

Hunters discovered Phillips’ body Nov. 28 in the Mark Twain National Forest in Barry County, Mo., according to the affidavit. Police determined that Phillips died in Springdale, so the case is being prosecuted in Washington County.

The girl told Baker and Blanks about the abuse at a birthday party in October, and Baker became angry, grabbed a knife from the kitchen and wanted to kill Phillips at the party, the affidavit states. She said she calmed Baker down and asked him not to hurt Phillips.

Springdale police were called around 8:15 p.m. Nov. 23 for a welfare check by a woman who said she could hear people fighting in a nearby apartment, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers talked to a man in the apartment who said he was there “hanging out” with Phillips when a group of men arrived. The man told police that Phillips and the men began to argue and fought. The men took Phillips from the apartment and left the area, the man told police.

Springdale police issued an alert for Phillips after they found a trail of blood leading from his apartment through the complex’s parking lot at 1252 Cooper Drive, according to the news release.

Baker and Blanks were arrested Nov. 26 in Tulsa. Police used security camera video from Phillips’ Springdale apartment parking lot to identify a pickup they say was used to take Phillips away.

Phillips’ body was nude, and he had been beaten and shot several times, according to the affidavit.

Baker and Blanks were transported from the Tulsa jail and booked into the Washington County jail on Dec. 1. They are being held without bail.