On a Sunday evening in April 2018, a tense and ultimately tragic series of events unfolded in the parking lot of a Walmart in Trumann, Arkansas. The incident began when 22-year-old Gabriel Urrabazo confronted his 21-year-old ex-wife, Faith Morgan, holding her at gunpoint as she left the store. Trumann police were dispatched to the scene and found Urrabazo holding Morgan hostage.
As officers began to negotiate with Urrabazo, a 35-year-old man named Robert Highfill, who was Morgan's uncle,
attempted to intervene and disarm the gunman, despite police advising against it. In a fatal turn of events, Urrabazo shot and killed Highfill. Following the shooting, Urrabazo continued to hold his ex-wife at gunpoint, pressing the weapon to her head. The situation remained chaotic as law enforcement worked to secure the area and clear bystanders from the scene, which included approximately 30 to 40 customers and employees inside the Walmart.
After a standoff that lasted for over an hour and a half, Urrabazo released Morgan and began to walk away, still armed. Officers continued their negotiations, urging him to drop his weapon. Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Arkansas State Police and the FBI, responded to assist the Trumann Police Department. Eventually, Urrabazo surrendered to the authorities and was taken into custody.
Gabriel Urrabazo was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping. A probable cause hearing was held the morning after the incident, and his bond was set at $500,000. In August 2019, Urrabazo pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the death of Robert Highfill and to the kidnapping of Faith Morgan. He was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison for the murder and a concurrent 20-year sentence for the kidnapping.
