FC man charged in shooting deaths of two in Marianna
Suspect was gunshot victim last summer
A suspect in the shooting deaths of two Forrest City men over the weekend in Marianna is being held in the St. Francis County Jail on a $3 million bond.
Tyler Harrison Williams, 27, was arrested Tuesday by Arkansas State Police and charged with two counts of capital murder in the deaths of Albert Dillard, 32, and Arthur Hill, 59, both of Forrest City.
At the request of the Marianna Police Department, State Police are investigating the shootings that occurred about 2 p.m., Saturday, on South Florida Street.
Officers arriving at the scene found Davalone Taylor, 32, of Marianna, who had been shot multiple times. He was taken by a private vehicle to Forrest City Medical Center and later airlifted to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis where his condition has been upgraded from serious to good, according to hospital officials.
Police found Dillard and Hill, each wearing ski masks and gloves and suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, lying in the back yard of the Florida Street residence. Dillard was pronounced dead at the scene and Hill died at FCMC, according to police.
While searching the property, police recovered 27 spent shell casings, from both inside and outside the residence. The spent shell casings were five different calibers of casings, according to investigators.
At least seven weapons were recovered at the scene, according to the report.
Outside the residence, near the subjects, officers located an AR rifle and two pistols. Inside the residence they reportedly found four pistols.
Taylor told police he was standing near the rear of his vehicle when a gold passenger vehicle pulled up behind him, nearly pinning him against his vehicle. He claimed three people armed with guns, wearing ski masks and gloves, exited the vehicle, “asking for the stuff.”
Based on the reports, “the stuff” the three were allegedly referring to was 30 pounds of marijuana they claimed was stolen about a month ago from a house in Marianna.
Taylor told officers he was struck in the head and began fighting with the suspects while grabbing his pistol from his jacket pocket. In an exchange of gunfire, Williams said he was struck by the suspect carrying the rifle and returned fire, striking that suspect. He said another suspect shot him with a revolver and he also returned fire, striking that suspect as well before the third suspect fled in the vehicle. Taylor reportedly told police he threw his weapon on the ground and ran into the house to get help.
Taylor reportedly identified Williams as one of the suspects trying to rob him.
The investigation is continuing.
Williams was the victim of a shooting last summer when he was involved in an altercation at a Forrest City apartment.
According to the Forrest City Police Department at the time, officers were called to an apartment complex on Whitaker Street on June 1 where they found Williams, of Marianna at the time, lying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his stomach.
Police arrested Dabney Allen, 26, for first-degree domestic battery in connection with that shooting. Charges were filed against Allen in July last year and her case is still pending in St. Francis County Circuit Court.