In the early morning hours of August 13, 2016, the life of 28-year-old Nick Wayne Dawson, a male resident of Pocahontas, Arkansas, was tragically cut short. The incident unfolded around 4:30 a.m. at a residence on Broadway Street where Dawson was found deceased. The cause of death was a shooting that stemmed from a physical altercation.
The investigation into the death of Nick Wayne Dawson quickly led to a person of interest who was taken into custody.
This individual was identified as 24-year-old James 'Dexter' Yancy. It was revealed that both Dawson and Yancy resided at the same Broadway Street address. The case presented a potential conflict of interest for local law enforcement as Yancy is the son of an investigator with the Pocahontas Police Department. To ensure impartiality, the investigation was handed over to the Arkansas State Police.
According to the probable cause affidavit, Yancy admitted to investigators that he had ingested methamphetamine prior to the physical fight that led to the fatal shooting. He claimed that he feared for his life and acted in self-defense when he shot Dawson. However, he also stated that he was the one who instigated the altercation. Based on the investigation, James 'Dexter' Yancy was arrested and subsequently charged with manslaughter. Due to the conflict of interest, a special prosecuting attorney was appointed to handle the case to determine the final charges and pursue the matter in court.
