On April 23, 2021, 19-year-old Davidlee Alan Kane Stansbury of Salem, Arkansas, was reported missing after leaving his home around 4:30 a.m. with a friend. His body was discovered on April 26, approximately five miles north of Salem, in a wooded area near Republican Road. Authorities determined he had been shot.
Investigations revealed that Stansbury's friend, 19-year-old Jacoby Austin Goehler, was responsible for his death. Goehler was arrested on April 23 and charged with first-degree murder. Further inquiries indicated that Goehler's mother, 40-year-old Jennifer Lynn Bowman-Harnden, had conspired with her son to commit the murder, believing Stansbury had raped her daughter—a claim that was never substantiated. Bowman-Harnden was arrested on April 28 and charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.
In October 2022, Goehler was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 15 years for a weapons enhancement penalty. His mother, Bowman-Harnden, accepted a plea deal on March 20, 2023, pleading guilty to hindering apprehension and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Additionally, 19-year-old Travis Eugene Barker was arrested on May 21, 2021, and charged with first-degree murder for his involvement in the crime. Barker pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
These events highlight the tragic loss of a young life and the subsequent legal proceedings that brought justice to the victim and his family.
