NLR man sentenced for 2015 murder
A North Little Rock man originally charged with capital murder for the 2015 shooting death of a Hot Springs man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to a reduced charge in Garland
County Circuit Court.
Ocoriye Deonte Wallace, 22, who has been held without bond since his arrest Sept. 25, 2015, was set to stand trial June
20 on the capital murder charge, punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole, but agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder and be sentenced to the maximum of 30 years
for the death of 31-year-old Roy Dell Smith.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Joe Graham said Wednesday he had consulted with Smith’s grandmother, “his closest kin,” and she authorized the plea offer being made to Wallace who agreed to it after some negotiations.
Graham noted he couldn’t comment further on the case because a gag order limiting publicity was issued by Judge Marcia Hearnsberger on Nov. 20, 2015, which was still in effect because Wallace had two alleged accomplices, Kameon Dreshawn Parker, 18, and Abriauna Simone Bell, 24, both of Little Rock, whose cases are still pending in circuit court.
Parker, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, is charged with capital murder for his alleged part in the incident and Bell is charged with a felony count of hindering apprehension, punishable by up to 20 years. Parker was charged as an adult in the case, but his attorney has since appealed that ruling and the outcome of the appeal is still pending.
According to the affidavit for Wallace, on Sept. 24, 2015, shortly before 1:30 p.m., Hot Springs police responded to 117 Kenwood St. regarding a shooting and upon arrival found Smith lying unresponsive in the hallway with a gunshot wound to his torso. He was transported by LifeNet to CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs where he was pronounced dead.
Officers located a second victim, Terry Elijah Crump, 20, of Hot Springs, who had a minor gunshot wound to the left hand. He was transported to CHI where he was treated and later released.
Officers spoke to a male resident who was reportedly present during the incident who stated a black male, later identified as Wallace, had come there to sell a gun to Crump. The resident left the living room but moments later heard a commotion and returned to see Wallace and Crump wrestling over the gun.
The resident said Wallace gained control of the gun, shot Crump and began shooting at the resident. Then he turned and shot Smith. Wallace then advanced toward the resident briefly before fleeing the scene.
A second male resident who witnessed the incident told police he also saw Crump and Wallace fighting, so he went to his bedroom to get a weapon. He said he heard gunshots and when he came out of his bedroom he saw Smith lying in the hallway and Wallace running out the front door.
Crump was later questioned and stated that during the altercation with Wallace a second black male, later identified as Parker, kicked in the front door and began shooting into the residence at all the occupants in the living room before also fleeing.
Officers later responded to the CK Quick Stop, 4945 E. Grand, after learning Wallace was there with a gunshot wound to his left shoulder. Police also made contact with Bell, who had gone in the store with Wallace. Wallace was transported by helicopter to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock and later extradited to Hot Springs after his release from the hospital.
Detectives learned Crump, a prior acquaintance of Wallace, had agreed to buy an AR-style rifle from him and Wallace had agreed to bring it there. Wallace sent Crump photos of the rifle using Bell’s cellphone.
Bell told police she, Wallace and Parker came to a house in Hot Springs where Wallace made contact with a white male. She said Wallace went into the house and minutes later she heard gunshots from inside. She said Parker got out and went toward the house as she moved over into the driver’s seat.
Security cameras at the Kenwood residence showed an SUV-type vehicle, later determined to belong to Bell, parked in front of the house. The video shows one person emerging from the vehicle with a firearm and firing it in proximity to the vehicle. That person and a second person are then seen emerging from the house and getting into the vehicle.
Bell reportedly admitted both Wallace and Parker got back into the vehicle and she then drove off. Bell was initially charged with capital murder, as well, but the charge was later withdrawn, leaving the hindering charge.
Wallace was on probation at the time of his arrest from prior felony convictions in 2014 in Pulaski County for robbery and fleeing.