In the quiet city of Forrest City, Arkansas, a shocking event disrupted the peace on a Sunday in October. Arnold Gordon Gwathney, a 78-year-old male, was found deceased in his home on October 15, 2017. His death was the result of a homicide, bringing an unexpected and violent end to a life deeply rooted in the community. Gwathney was a retired employee of the Forrest City Times-Herald and an active member of the Oak Hill Church of God, where he served as a Sunday School teacher for the adult
class.
The investigation into his death quickly unfolded, leading authorities to a suspect. The trail began after a robbery was reported at a Family Dollar store in the nearby town of Brinkley. The suspect in the robbery fled in a vehicle which was later found wrecked and abandoned. A search for the individual ensued, involving multiple law enforcement agencies.
An officer with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, while establishing a perimeter in an agricultural field, spotted a man matching the suspect's description. The man, covered in mud, was taken into custody without incident. He was identified as Larry Watts. Further investigation revealed that the car Watts had been driving belonged to Arnold Gwathney, who had been killed inside his home earlier that day.
Larry Watts was subsequently held on a parole violation, with charges related to the robbery, vehicle theft, and the homicide of Arnold Gwathney pending. The apprehension of Watts brought a swift, though somber, development in the case, connecting the violent robbery to the tragic death of a respected community member.
