Death penalty sought against 24-year-old

FAYETTEVILLE — Washington County Prosecuting Attorney Matt Durrett has filed notice he intends to seek the death penalty against Samuel Sean Appling, who is accused of killing a rural Washington County man.

Appling, 24, of 10863 Rocky Creek Road, was arrested in November 2020 in connection with capital murder, residential burglary and fleeing. Appling is formally charged with capital murder and aggravated residential burglary.

In his notice to the court that the death penalty is being sought, Durrett said the aggravated circumstances required include, but aren’t limited to, the killing being committed in an especially cruel or depraved manner.

Deputies were called at 11:15 p.m. to 10671 Rocky Creek Road for a burglary in progress, according to the Sheriff ’ s Office. John Hurlburt, 53, said someone broke into his home and used an electronic stun device on him. Hurlburt said he hit the man on the head with a weight and the man fell off the porch, according to a news release from the Washington County Sheriff ’s Office. Hurlburt said the man may have had a gun.

Hurlburt identified his attacker later in the call as his daughter’s boyfriend and then stopped talking, according to the release. Dispatchers said it sounded like Hurlburt was screaming for help.

Deputies saw a dim light heading north, parallel to Rocky Creek Road, and saw a man running east with reflective material on his back when they arrived at 11: 28 p.m. The deputies chased him and ordered him to stop.

Appling reached the edge of a wooded area and collapsed, according to the release. The deputies found a Ruger .45 pistol covered in blood in the area. Blood covered Appling’s sleeves and gloves, and he had a fixedblade knife in a sheath on his right hip. The knife blade and handle were covered in blood, according to the release.

Deputies found Hurlburt dead in his living room. He had been stabbed, according to the release.

Appling is represented by Katherine S. Streett and James W. Wyatt of Little Rock.

If the jury finds Appling guilty of capital murder and rejects the death penalty, the default penalty would be life at the Arkansas Department of Corrections without the possibility of parole. Jurors must be unanimous in returning the death penalty.

Appling