Rogers man sentenced to 18 years for role in death

BENTONVILLE — A Rogers man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in a man’s death.

Shannon Schmidt, 51, pleaded guilty Monday to hindering apprehension or prosecution and tampering with physical evidence. The plea was under an agreement Drew Miller, Schmidt’s attorney, reached with Joshua Robinson, senior deputy prosecutor.

Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green accepted the plea agreement and Schmidt’s guilty plea.

The charges against Schmidt stem from the killing of Byron Keith Blackmon, who was found shot April 27, 2021, on Northwest Fifth Street in Bentonville. Blackmon, 30, died at Northwest Medical Center in Bentonville.

Zachary Avans, 23, of Bella Vista was sentenced in September to 132 years in prison in connection with the case after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and other charges.

Schmidt was accused of providing false information to police when they were investigating Blackmon’s death. He was also accused of destroying or tampering with evidence in the case.

He told police he and Avans are friends, according to the probable cause affidavit. Schmidt said Avans asked him to drive him April 27, 2021, to a Bentonville address to visit a friend about a stimulus check. Schmidt said he drove Avans to Bentonville, and Avans asked him to drive around, then come back to pick him up. Schmidt said he picked up Avans near Northwest B Street, according to the affidavit.

Schmidt told police Avans burned the shirt he had been wearing in a fire pit when they returned to Schmidt’s home, according to the affidavit.

A neighbor of Blackmon’s heard Blackmon yelling for help and found him lying in the street, the affidavit states.

A police officer noticed a door open to an apartment at 501 N.W. B St., which was Blackmon’s apartment. Officers saw blood on the door and living room floor, along with several bloody pillows, according to the affidavit.

Police also found a spent shell casing to a revolver or semiautomatic pistol, according to the affidavit.