Drug and gun charges filed in connection with double shooting on Twin Points Road
A search warrant executed at a Twin Points Road residence where two brothers were shot on Aug. 21 has resulted in the arrest of a former Hot Springs woman on gun and drug charges and a warrant on the same charges for her boyfriend, but no charges related to the deaths of the two men.
Garland County Prosecuting Attorney Michelle Lawrence told The Sentinel-Record Thursday the investigation into the shooting deaths of Tyson Stewart, 21, and Kason Porter, 19, is “still ongoing and any charges are still pending. We’re still waiting on several items that were sent to the state crime lab.”
She said the investigation into the drugs and guns found
“was completed so we had enough evidence to file the charges and we wanted to go ahead and charge them on those counts as quickly as possible.”
Lawrence said they have been in contact with the victims’ family about the ongoing investigation and progress in the case and the charges filed Tuesday.
Madison Nicole Akers, 22, who now lists an Arkadelphia address, is charged with felony counts of simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, punishable by up to life in prison, unauthorized use of another person’s property to facilitate a crime, punishable by up to 20 years, and possession of a controlled substance, marijuana, with purpose to deliver and possession of drug paraphernalia, each punishable by up to six years.
Akers, who has no prior criminal history, was booked into the Garland County Detention Center shortly after 7 p.m. and was released a short time later on $20,000 bond. She is set to appear in Garland County District Court on Dec. 14.
The same charges have been filed against her boyfriend, Braxton Lee Gravett, 21, who lists the
907 Twin Points residence as his address, but Gravett had not been taken into custody as of Thursday. Gravett is also charged with an additional felony count of unlawful use of a communication device, punishable by up to
10 years in prison. According to the probable
cause affidavits for both Akers and Gravett, on Aug. 21, at 11:20 p.m., Hot Springs police responded to 907 Twin Points regarding a shooting and found Stewart and Porter inside the residence.
Stewart was pronounced dead at the scene and Porter was transported by LifeNet to a local hospital where he died from his injuries a few days later, police said in a news release on Sept. 9.
“Evidence at the scene suggests there was forced entry into the home and both Stewart and the occupants of the residence were armed with firearms,” the release said.
According to the affidavits, the homeowner, Nikki Hardemon, her son, Gravett, and his girlfriend, Akers, were on scene and interviewed by detectives. A search warrant was obtained and later served on the residence.
Detectives reportedly located guns, drugs and drug paraphernalia in two rear bedrooms which had hand-written rental agreements attached to the doors for Gravett and Akers.
The guns found included a .223 rifle and three
9-mm handguns. Drug items found included three large marijuana pipes, a grow tent, a set of lighting equipment used for growing plants indoors, a clear container with small marijuana plants and
30.5 grams of marijuana.
When interviewed, Gravett reportedly admitted to having the guns and drug items. He also allegedly admitted to having text messages between him and one of the two men who had been shot on his cellphone so the phone was seized.
A search warrant for the phone was obtained on Aug. 24 and text messages were downloaded which reportedly included Gravett “talking about buying and selling narcotics,” the affidavit states.
On Aug. 20, at 7:27 p.m., he sent a message saying, “Ain’t even got my food yet bro. I’ll do 250 is you bring that.” One minute later, a text read, “It better be some good (expletive) cause the ppl I sell too shoot it up.”
About eight minutes later, another text was sent saying, “Imma have to look and yaste it bro,” the affidavit states.
Warrants for the arrests of Gravett and Akers were issued on Tuesday.
Several protests involving dozens of people were staged on multiple days in November on Malvern Avenue near the Hot Springs Police Department questioning what protesters called was “a lack of justice” in the shootings of the two victims.
Some of the signs held by demonstrators include “We Want Justice” and “We Deserve Justice” and “No Charge No Peace.” There have also been multiple social media posts calling for action in the case.
Gravett was previously arrested on Jan. 31 on a felony charge of theft by receiving of a firearm, punishable by up to six years in prison, and a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated, first offense, stemming from a traffic stop.
He was released the next day on a $ 3,500 bond and his arraignment in circuit court was postponed multiple times due to COVID-19 and is now scheduled to be held in conjunction with an omnibus hearing on Dec. 8 to determine the admissibility of any statements he made at the time of his arrest.
Prior to his arrest in January, Gravett had no previous felony history, according to court records.
Chief Deputy Prosecutor Kara Petro filed a motion on Wednesday to revoke Gravett’s bond on the theft charge in light of the new felony charges filed against him on Tuesday stemming from the Aug. 21 incident.