On a Thursday afternoon in the small community of New Blaine, Arkansas, the life of 38-year-old Michael "Chase" Wheeler, a Caucasian male, was tragically cut short. On January 5, 2023, what began as a verbal disturbance at a residence on Cravens Lane escalated, leading to a fatal shooting.
The Logan County Sheriff's Office received a call about the escalating dispute and dispatched a deputy to the scene.
While the deputy was en route, a second call came in, urgently reporting that shots had been fired. The deputy, along with an Arkansas state trooper who was in the vicinity, arrived to a grim scene. Inside the home, they discovered Michael Wheeler, a resident of the house, deceased from what appeared to be gunshot wounds.
A suspect was present at the residence when law enforcement arrived. The individual was taken into custody and transported to the Logan County Sheriff's Office for questioning. A firearm, believed to be the weapon used in the shooting, was also recovered at the scene.
Investigators from the Logan County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from special agents of the Arkansas State Police, secured the property and obtained a search warrant to gather evidence. The Logan County Coroner took possession of Wheeler's body, which was then sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to determine the official cause of death. As the investigation continues, further details regarding the suspect and the circumstances surrounding the shooting have not been publicly released.
