In the autumn of 2021, the community of Harrison, Arkansas, was shaken by the violent death of a well-known local man. Timmy Joe Blackburn, a 59-year-old male, was discovered with a gunshot wound on the porch of a residence in the Valley Springs area on the morning of October 14, 2021. He was transported to a local hospital for medical attention but ultimately succumbed to his injuries later that same day.
The incident was quickly determined to be a homicide, launching an intensive investigation by the Boone County Sheriff's Office.
Authorities soon identified two persons of interest in the case: Jason Lee Stockstill, then 49, and Heather Dawn Scallion, then 38. Investigators learned that Blackburn's black 1993 Chevrolet pickup truck had been stolen from the scene of the shooting. This vital piece of information led law enforcement on a multi-day manhunt for the two suspects. The stolen vehicle was later located on National Park Service property near Grinder's Ferry in the neighboring Searcy County. It was believed that Stockstill and Scallion had abandoned the truck and fled on foot, prompting authorities to warn the public that the pair should be considered armed and dangerous.
After several days on the run, both Stockstill and Scallion were apprehended in Searcy County. Following their arrests, they were charged in connection with the death of Tim Blackburn. Jason Lee Stockstill faced a charge of capital murder, with the state alleging that he shot Blackburn with a. 22 caliber rifle before stealing his truck. Heather Dawn Scallion was also charged in relation to the incident. In an interview with investigators after his arrest, Stockstill admitted to stealing the rifle used in the shooting and to shooting Blackburn. In April 2024, Jason Stockstill entered a plea deal, reducing his charge from capital murder to first-degree murder.
