In a quiet Springdale, Arkansas neighborhood, the life of 18-year-old Lyric Marie Bewley was tragically cut short in a violent encounter that also claimed the life of another and led to the arrest of a young man from a neighboring town. A recent graduate of Har-Ber High School, Lyric was known for her vibrant personality and her dedication as a Certified Nursing Assistant, where she cared for residents at Shiloh Nursing and Rehab.
On an afternoon in late April 2024, a distressing series
of events unfolded on Wayland Avenue. Ashton Balentine, a 20-year-old from Rogers and the ex-boyfriend of the female occupant of the home, reportedly drove to the residence. According to police reports, Balentine was seen on a live online video game feed with a witness to whom he expressed his frustration about his ex-girlfriend being with someone new. Shortly after, he is alleged to have entered the home, broken down a bedroom door, and opened fire on the occupants. The shooting resulted in the death of 19-year-old Willie Tilman at the scene. Lyric Bewley was critically injured and rushed to Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, where she succumbed to her injuries on April 24, 2024. Miraculously, a young child present in the room at the time of the shooting was physically unharmed.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Balentine fled the scene, prompting a search by law enforcement. However, he later surrendered to the Springdale Police Department. Authorities have charged him with a litany of serious offenses, including capital murder, attempted capital murder, and aggravated residential burglary. Reports also indicated that the weapon used was a Glock handgun that had been illegally modified with a 'switch' to make it fully automatic. The case has brought to light the alarming rise in the use of such modified firearms in violent crimes.
