Bentonville man arrested in connection with murder
BENTONVILLE — A Bentonville man was arrested in connection with killing another man.
Glen Thatcher, 44, was arrested Tuesday, Feb. 2, in the Benton County Jail with no bond set. He faces a charge of capital murder, according to a news release from the Benton County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff’s deputies went to 20147 U.S. Highway 62 in Gateway for a welfare check on Monday, Feb. 1, and found the body of Robert Blau, 30, according to the release.
Thatcher turned himself in to police.
Martin Morsani of Rogers sells potatoes and onions across the street from the building where Blau’s body was found. He said he grew up in the area.
Morsani said the building was a gasoline station in the 1960s, and someone converted it into a house. Different people have lived in it over the years, he said.
He said the building had been empty for the past couple of years, but last week he saw people going in and out of the building. He said they hauled out dumpsters of trash.
Morsani said the killing is an unusual occurrence for the small town that usually just has some car wrecks.
“It’s bad for this town because this is such a good town,” Morsani said. “You know people don’t like to see anything like that going on around here.”
Morsani said he didn’t know Blau. He said a friend called him and told him police were at the building.
“This is a good, quiet town and everything,” he said. “Whenever something happens you know it gets around.”
A woman told police her roommate confessed to killing a man, according to a probable cause affidavit filed Thursday.
Prosecutors haven’t filed a formal charge against Thatcher.
Benton County Circuit Judge Robin Green ordered Thatcher be held without bond in the Benton County Jail in connection with Blau’s killing. Thatcher’s arraignment is scheduled for March 1.
Chelsea Yates went Monday to the Bentonville Police Department and told police Thatcher, her roommate, came home and told her he had shot and killed Blau, according to the affidavit. Yates said Thatcher brandished the pistol he claimed was used in the murder, according to the affidavit.
Bentonville police provided the information to Benton County Sheriff’s Office deputies, who went to 20147 U.S. Highway 62 in Gateway and found Blau’s body, according to the affidavit.
Medics came to the scene and confirmed Blau was dead. They found a small bullet wound to Blau’s chest, according to the affidavit.
Steve Baker, Yates’ boyfriend, told police he overheard Thatcher tell Yates he did a bad thing, according to the affidavit. Baker said he also saw Thatcher pull a gun from his jacket, the affidavit states.
Yates’ 11-year-old daughter was present and also told police she saw Thatcher with the gun, according to the affidavit. The girl said she had seen Blau at the apartment earlier, the affidavit states.
Peter Smith, one of Thatcher’s friends, reported his suspicion Thatcher had stolen his silver 40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, according to the affidavit. Smith said he didn’t report the theft to police because he wanted to talk to Thatcher about it, the affidavit states.
Thatcher was interviewed by Keshia Guyll, a detective with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, but much of his interview was redacted from the affidavit.
Scott Parks, Thatcher’s attorney, requested the affidavit be sealed, and the judge denied the request, but did allow the affidavit to be redacted.
Thatcher said he was using methamphetamine with Blau and told Blau he was going to meet him at the U.S. Hwy. 62 address, according to the affidavit.
Thatcher claimed Blau’s phone was bugged, and he threw it out the window when he was driving back to Rogers, according to the affidavit. Deputies were able to recover the gun and phone, according to the affidavit.
Thatcher had his initial court appearance Thursday, Feb. 4.
Jay Saxton, Benton County’s chief public defender, told the judge his office couldn’t represent Thatcher because it represented Blau in several cases and also represents Blau’s brother.
Parks, a lawyer with the Arkansas Public Defenders Commission, represented Thatcher at the hearing.
Thatcher said his only source of income is from a family business in Tampa, Fla. He told the judge he didn’t own any real estate.
“While his family may have assets, he does not,” Parks said.
The judge found Thatcher is indigent, which means the Public Defenders Commission will be financially responsible for his defense.
Joshua Robinson, deputy prosecutor, told the judge prosecutors have a strong case against Thatcher with a high likelihood of conviction. Robinson said Thatcher has out-of-state connections, and Robinson requested Thatcher be held without bond.
Parks said Thatcher has a local address and cooperated with law enforcement. He said Thatcher has only been convicted of driving while intoxicated.
The judge ordered Thatcher to be held without bond.