Man gets prison for ’17 killing

2nd person pleads guilty in Springdale apartment shooting

FAYETTEVILLE — A second Springdale man pleaded guilty Thursday for his role in the killing of a man in 2017.

Tracy Andrew Schuman, 37, admitted to being an accomplice to second-degree murder in a plea deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to 30 years at the Arkansas Department of Corrections with 10 years suspended. Schuman was given credit for three days of jail time served. Schuman had been set for trial beginning Monday.

Police found Xavier Williams, 24, dead on Aug. 17, 2017, in his apartment at Strawberry Meadows Place in Springdale. He was shot multiple times with a 9mm handgun the day before, according to a Springdale Police Department report.

Prosecutors said Schuman drove two others to Williams’ apartment before he was killed.

Anferney Amram, 22, who was originally charged in Washington County Circuit Court with capital murder and aggravated residential burglary in the fatal shooting of Williams, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and aggravated residential burglary in April 2019. Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay sentenced Amram to two 35-year terms at the Arkansas Department of Correction, to run concurrently. Amram was given credit for 608 days of jail time served.

Amram told police he shot Williams because he had threatened Amram’s family. Amram said he planned to kill Williams a few months earlier and that he stole the gun to shoot him, according to a news release from Springdale police.

Three other men are awaiting trial in the case.