Man Murdered Near Longview
DEPUTIES ARRESTED THE SUSPECT TUESDAY EVENING
A McDonald County man is dead and another is in custody following a shooting Tuesday morning.
Emergency responders were dispatched to 1446 S. Tiger Road near Longview a few minutes after 10 a.m., regarding a man with multiple gunshot wounds, according to McDonald County Sheriff Michael Hall.
Upon arrival at the scene, deputies located the victim, 37-year-old Russell McClelland, who was pronounced dead by paramedics, Hall reported.
When witnesses identified Wade Woods, 27, of Goodman, as the suspect, area agencies began searching for him and the Ford F150 he was last seen driving.
In addition to a first-degree murder warrant, Woods also held outstanding warrants for possession of a controlled substance and endangering the welfare of a child in relation to prior incidents.
“He’s been in trouble before, but it’s usually drug or driving related,” Hall said. “He has also stolen a vehicle in the past but nothing this violent.”
School district officials opted to err on the side of safety and locked down campuses countywide.
“Schools in the county did go into lockdown, though there was no direct threat,” said Hall. “Considering the proximity of Longview to Rocky (Comfort
Elementary School) though, campuses were locked down as a safety precaution.”
Woods was taken into custody at approximately 11 p.m. Tuesday night, after a short pursuit.
Sheriff Hall said Woods was spotted near Walmart on a motorcycle and was then followed onto Bear Hollow Road by a deputy. When the deputy activated his lights and siren, Woods failed to stop and continued up Goff Ridge Road. He then took a turn onto Foxtrot Road — a dead end near the Missouri/Arkansas border.
When he attempted to flee the cul-de-sac, he was captured by two McDonald County deputies.
The motive of McClelland’s murder is unclear, Hall said.
Woods and McClelland were acquaintances, but no altercation took place and Woods did not enter the home, Hall said.
Woods is being held in the McDonald County Jail without bond.