A devoted father and husband, Troy Lee Hendrix was remembered for his infectious laughter and playful personality that brought joy to those around him. The 30-year-old man from Alexander, Arkansas, was a loving husband to his wife, Stephanie, and a doting father to their children, Lilly, Beau, and Charles T-Wayne. At the time of his death, the couple was expecting another child. Born on May 11, 1996, Troy was a man of faith who loved joking, singing, and dancing.
He had a passion for the outdoors, enjoying activities like motocross, hunting, fishing, and riding four-wheelers. His greatest joy was being a dad, and the love he had for his children was a treasured gift.
The afternoon of Friday, October 9, 2026, was tragically his last. Around 4:00 p.m., Troy was doing what he did every school day: waiting for his children to be dropped off at their bus stop. He was near the intersection of West Lawson Road and Martin Road in the Avilla community of northern Saline County when a vehicle pulled up beside him. The driver, an older man, shot Troy in the neck. A 911 dispatcher who alerted police to the shooting confirmed it was intentional. First responders found Troy suffering from the gunshot wound, and he died near a residence on the 700 block of Martin Road before he could be transported for medical care.
The Saline County Sheriff’s Office immediately began an investigation, identifying 72-year-old Dickie Ray Johnson as the suspect. Johnson, a resident of Piggott in Clay County who had a relative in Alexander, had fled the scene in his pickup truck. Deputies located him a short time later at the Avilla Family Market, a grocery store about a mile from where the shooting occurred. Employees at the market told reporters that Johnson was a regular customer and had been in the store just hours before the incident.
Surveillance video from the market captured the arrest. The footage showed Johnson pulling into the parking lot, followed shortly by Saline County Sheriff's deputies who surrounded his vehicle with guns drawn. Johnson was taken into custody, and a younger male who was in the truck with him was also briefly detained before being escorted out of the camera's view. The video appeared to show Johnson resisting before deputies successfully placed him into a police vehicle.
Dickie Ray Johnson was booked into the Saline County Detention Center. He faced a slate of serious charges, including capital murder, committing a terroristic act, driving while intoxicated (DWI), and endangering the welfare of a minor. Investigators did not immediately release information about a possible motive or the events that led up to the fatal encounter at the bus stop.
In the wake of the tragedy, a fundraiser was organized to support Troy’s wife and children. His family and friends gathered to celebrate his life on October 20, 2026, at the Dial & Dudley Funeral Home in Bryant, Arkansas. He was survived by his wife, children, his mother and stepfather, siblings, and grandparents. He was preceded in death by his father and other grandparents. As of the latest reports in October 2026, the criminal case against Dickie Ray Johnson was entering the court system, though further updates on the litigation have not been made public.
