Grant County Prosecuting Attorney Teresa Howell

02/13/2026

On Thursday, February 12, 2026, a Grant County jury convicted 67-year-old Kenneth Edward Cotton of Criminal Attempt to Commit Capital Murder, a Class Y felony. The case was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weber and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Cagney Kilgroe.

The evidence presented at trial showed on December 16, 2024, Defendant Kenneth Cotton told his wife “I am going to kill you” and “you are going to die today” as he attacked and severely beat her with a claw hammer. The survivor defended herself by trying to block the hammer strikes, but still sustained head injuries and a broken arm. When the survivor did not fall to the ground as the defendant beat her, the defendant struck her on the knee with the hammer. The survivor, more than a year after the defendant’s attempt to kill her, still suffers from debilitating medical issues and concussion symptoms. The survivor courageously faced the defendant at trial and said in her victim impact statement “Mr. Cotton, you gave it your best shot to kill me and leave me for dead, but it wasn’t good enough. I am still standing. I am a survivor.”

Judge Stephen Shirron presided over the trial and followed the recommendation of the jury by sentencing Kenneth Edward Cotton to life in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Defendant Cotton was removed from the courtroom by deputies of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department for transfer to the Arkansas Department of Correction.

Evil did not, and will not, win.

09/29/2025

Teresa Howell, Prosecuting Attorney for the Seventh Judicial District, announced on September 26, 2025, a Grant County jury convicted 82-year-old Ryan Hodges of Murder in the First Degree, a Class Y felony, Battery in the First Degree, a Class B felony, and Arson, a Class Y felony.

On July 10, 2023, Hodges murdered Katharyn Linker and caused serious physical injury to Sharod Harvey when he shot them as they performed an inspection at the Sheridan Heights Apartments. After Hodges murdered Ms. Linker and seriously injured Mr. Harvey, he set the apartment on fire causing extensive damage to the building. The case was investigated by the Sheridan Police Department and the Grant County Sheriff’s Department with assistance by the Arkansas State Police.

The case was presented to the very attentive jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weber and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Cagney Kilgroe. Family support services were provided by Victim Witness Coordinator Amanda Culpepper Groomes, and digital presentations were crafted by Rebecca Childers of the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office. Upon the finding of guilt by the jury, daughters of Katharyn Linker and the father of Sharod Harvey bravely took the witness stand and told the jury how the shootings had affected their families.

Judge Stephen Shirron presided over the three-day trial and followed the sentencing recommendation of the jury. Ryan Hodges was sentenced to life in the Arkansas Department of Corrections for murder, a consecutive sentence of life for arson, and a consecutive sentence of twenty (20) years for the battery. The defendant was returned to the Sheridan Detention Center to await bed space at the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

06/25/2025

Teresa Howell, Prosecuting Attorney for the Seventh Judicial District announced on Friday, June 20, 2025, a Grant County jury convicted a 38-year-old Dallas County resident, Marcus Mitchell, of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Ma*****na), a Class D felony and Simultaneous Possession of Drugs and Fi****ms, a Class Y felony. The same defendant was convicted of Possession of Fi****ms by Certain Persons, a Class B felony by a Grant County jury on October 24, 2024. The case Friday was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Weber and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bill Solice.

The evidence at trial showed on February 27, 2024, Grant County Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Stephenson made a traffic stop of the defendant for speeding. The defendant had a search waiver on file due to being on felony probation, and the search of his vehicle revealed multiple packages of ma*****na, a digital scale, empty bags, and a 9mm pistol in the console. Defendant Mitchell was previously convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Ma*****na) with Purpose to Deliver in Faulkner County in 2014 and Possession of Fi****ms by Certain Persons in Dallas County in 2022.

The Honorable Stephen Shirron presided over the trial and followed the sentence recommendation of the jury, and sentenced Marcus Mitchell to twenty (20) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Defendant Mitchell previously received a five (5) year day-for-day sentence from the October 2024 jury trial, and the sentence from June 20th will be consecutive to the time he is currently serving. Defendant Mitchell was immediately taken back to the Arkansas Department of Corrections to continue serving his sentences.

03/16/2025

On Thursday, March 13, 2025, a six (6) man, six (6) woman Grant County jury found 32-year-old Billy Bagwell guilty of R**e, a Class Y Felony. The State’s case was presented by Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Melanie Rock and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jared Davis.

Special recognition goes out to the brave survivor for coming forward about the r**e at a tremendous personal cost. Thank you to Detective Noah Harrison of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department for his dedicated and thorough investigation, and to Grant County Victim/Witness Coordinator Amanda Groomes for her family support services.

Circuit Judge Stephen L. Shirron presided over the jury trial, and he followed the recommendation of the jury when he sentenced Billy Bagwell to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The defendant was immediately handcuffed, removed from the courtroom, and transported to the Sheridan Detention Center to await his transfer to prison.

02/17/2025

Teresa Howell, Prosecuting Attorney for the Seventh Judicial District, announced on February 13, 2025, a Grant County jury convicted 34-year-old Blake Allen Wimberly of two (2) counts of Manslaughter, each a Class C felony punishable up to a maximum of 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

On January 6, 2023, at approximately 3:25 a.m., deputies with the Grant County Sheriff’s Department and troopers with the Arkansas State Police responded to, and investigated, the fatal two-vehicle crash on Highway 167. The criminal case file was submitted by Cpl. Todd Williams of the Arkansas State Police. The case was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weber and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Cagney Kilgroe. Family support services were provided by Victim Witness Coordinator Amanda Groomes of the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office.

The evidence presented at trial showed the defendant, Blake Wimberly, was driving a truck south in the north bound lanes of Highway 167 when he crashed head-on into the medical equipment delivery van driven by Randy Burks, killing Mr. Burks and the defendant’s passenger, Dawson Whitmire. Upon the finding of guilt on both counts by the jury, brave family members of the Whitmire and Burks families took the witness stand and expressed to the jury how the tragic deaths of their loved ones had affected the families.

Judge Stephen Shirron presided over the trial and followed the recommendation of the jury and sentenced Blake Wimberly to twenty (20) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The defendant was immediately taken into custody by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department at the conclusion of the trial to begin serving his sentence.

02/03/2025

On January 31, 2025, a Grant County jury convicted 30-year-old Kevin White of Battery in the Second Degree, a Class D felony. Officers and detectives with the Sheridan Police Department investigated the attack at the Sheridan Detention Center and submitted the file for prosecution. The case was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weber and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Cagney Kilgroe.

The jury found Kevin White caused serious physical injury to a fellow inmate at the Sheridan Detention Center when he approached the victim and punched him in the face causing a broken nose. Kevin White is a habitual offender with felony convictions in 2017 and 2020 for domestic battery and drugs in Ouachita County, and a felony conviction last year in Grant County for drugs. Due to the defendant’s habitual offender status, he was subject to an extended sentence up to fifteen (15) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Judge Margaret Dobson presided over the trial and followed the sentence recommendation of the jury and sentenced him to fifteen (15) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections and a $2500 fine. The defendant was immediately taken into custody by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department at the conclusion of the trial to begin serving his sentence.

01/30/2025

On Monday, January 27, 2025, in accordance with the wishes of the victims’ family, Donald Robinson, a 35-year-old Grant County resident, entered negotiated pleas of guilty to thirteen (13) counts of R**e, each a Class Y felony. In accordance with the plea agreement, Circuit Judge Margaret Dobson sentenced Donald Robinson to 50 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

The State of Arkansas was represented by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jared Davis. The crimes were investigated by Lt. Robert Bird of the Sheridan Police Department, the victim forensic interviews were performed by Amy Henson at the Cooper Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center, and victim coordination services were provided by Amanda Groomes of the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office.

Upon completion of the pleas and sentencing, Donald Robinson was removed from the courtroom by deputies of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department to begin serving his prison sentence.

01/20/2025

On Friday, January 17, 2025, a Grant County jury found Michael Jason Harp guilty of Possession of Methamphetamine, a Class C felony, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Class D felony. The State’s case was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Weber and Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Bill Solice.

Judge Stephen Shirron presided over the one-day jury trial. The jury’s recommended prison sentence was seven (7) years for the possession conviction and three (3) years for the paraphernalia conviction. Michael Jason Harp has more than four previous felony convictions in his criminal history; therefore, Judge Shirron ordered his sentences to be served consecutively for a total of ten (10) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.

Michael Jason Harp was taken to the Sheridan Detention Center at the conclusion of the trial by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department to await prison bed space.

07/18/2024

On Monday, July 15, 2024, a Grant County jury consisting of five (5) women and seven (7) men convicted a 36-year-old Saline County resident, William Mayfield, of Possession of Fi****ms by Certain Persons, a Class B felony. The case was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Weber and Prosecuting Attorney Teresa Howell.

The evidence showed on August 25, 2023, the Grant County Sheriff’s Department and first responders were dispatched to a one vehicle crash on Grant 67. When the driver, Defendant William Mayfield, was removed from the vehicle by MEMS personnel, a R***r 9mm pistol was found in the seat where Defendant Mayfield was sitting.

The Honorable Margaret Dobson presided over the trial and followed the sentence recommendation of the jury and sentenced William Mayfield to eighteen (18) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Defendant Mayfield was sentenced as a habitual offender due to his twelve (12) prior felony convictions in Saline County and Van Buren County. Defendant Mayfield was previously convicted for Possession of a Firearm by Certain Persons in Van Buren County; therefore, he is not eligible for parole and will serve his sentence day for day. William Mayfield was immediately taken into custody by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department at the conclusion of the trial to begin serving his sentence.

07/15/2024

On Thursday, July 11, 2024, a Grant County jury consisting of nine (9) women and three (3) men found a Cleveland County resident, Darius Hill, guilty of Possession of Methamphetamine, a Class C felony, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Class D felony. The State’s case was presented to the jury by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey Weber.

On July 10, 2023, Defendant Darius Hill was found to be in possession of 2.5 grams of methamphetamine and a glass smoking pipe during a traffic stop search in Prattsville by Deputy Rick Stephenson of the Grant County Sheriff’s Department. The defendant had concealed the methamphetamine in a Red Hots candy box.

The Honorable Stephen Shirron presided over the one-day jury trial. Judge Shirron followed the recommendation of the jury and sentenced Darius Hill to twenty-one (21) years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Defendant Hill had five (5) prior felony convictions before Thursday’s guilty verdicts; therefore, the jury sentenced him as a habitual offender.

The thorough investigation by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department and the Group Six Narcotics Enforcement Unit made for a quick verdict and sentencing recommendation by the jury. Darius Hill was taken into custody at the conclusion of the jury trial by the Grant County Sheriff’s Department to begin serving his time of incarceration.

01/16/2024

Due to inclement weather, the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office will be closed Tuesday, January 16, 2024. ☃️🥶

08/19/2023