In the spring of 2017, the life of 32-year-old Charles David 'C.J.' Hill, Jr., a Black / African American male, was cut short in his hometown of Hot Springs, Arkansas. A graduate of Hot Springs High School, Hill was a familiar face in the community. On the evening of April 5th, an altercation unfolded that would end in his untimely death.
The incident occurred near the intersection of Third and Garens Streets, where police were initially called to an accident scene.
They discovered an unoccupied car with a significant amount of blood around it. A subsequent phone call led them to Charles David Hill, who had sustained a gunshot wound to the stomach. He was rushed to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Hill's death soon focused on a 20-year-old man named Demetrius Tyree Perry. Authorities determined that Perry was the driver of the vehicle found at the scene and that he had also suffered a gunshot wound to his arm during the incident. Investigators believe that Hill and Perry were involved in a heated argument over drugs which escalated into a physical fight inside the car. During this struggle, a handgun was discharged. The bullet passed through Perry's arm before striking Hill in the stomach.
Perry was initially arrested in April 2017 and charged with second-degree murder in connection with Hill's death. However, these charges were dropped two months later to allow for further investigation. The case was not closed, and in June of 2018, authorities arrested Perry once again. This time, he was charged with first-degree murder for the year-old slaying. He was subsequently held in Garland County on a $100,000 bond.
