In the small town of Paris, Arkansas, a sense of normalcy was shattered on a Monday afternoon, leaving the community in shock and mourning. On September 19, 2022, George A. Poole, a 22-year-old male, was working his shift at the local Sonic Drive-In on East Walnut Street. Around noon, the familiar sights and sounds of the fast-food restaurant were horrifically interrupted by the sound of gunfire. When Paris police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Poole had been shot.
Despite immediate attention, he was pronounced dead at his place of employment.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to a suspect, 20-year-old Joshua D. Malagon. As law enforcement began their search, a tense situation unfolded just five miles from the tragic scene at the Sonic. Deputies from the Logan County Sheriff's Office located Malagon sitting inside a parked vehicle on Kalamazoo Road. They issued commands for him to exit the vehicle, but he refused to comply.
As the standoff continued, a single gunshot was heard from within Malagon's vehicle. Deputies then approached and found him with a life-threatening wound. They immediately began to provide medical aid until emergency personnel could take over. Malagon was transported to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Arkansas State Police were called in to lead the investigation into the two deaths. The preliminary findings suggested that the tragic events were a murder-suicide. The bodies of both George Poole and Joshua Malagon were sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to confirm the cause and manner of their deaths. The complete case file, upon the conclusion of the investigation, was to be handed over to the Logan County prosecuting attorney for a final review, closing a dark chapter for the small Arkansas town.
