In the early morning hours of a January Tuesday in Fort Smith, Arkansas, the life of 33-year-old Arthur McIntyre was tragically cut short. Gunshots echoed in the vicinity of North 30th Street and Alabama Avenue, prompting concerned neighbors to alert the authorities around 2 a.m. Responding officers discovered McIntyre's body in the backyard of a residence, the victim of a fatal shooting.
The investigation into the death of the male victim quickly led Fort Smith police to a suspect.
Denver Pennington, 29 years old at the time, was taken into custody in connection with the shooting. According to police reports, an argument had erupted between Pennington and McIntyre in the hours leading up to the incident. Authorities noted that all individuals present at the house, a total of six people, were intoxicated at the time, which initially slowed down the investigation as they waited for witnesses to sober up. The homeowner was questioned and subsequently released.
Following his arrest, Pennington faced a charge of first-degree murder. He admitted to the shooting, claiming that McIntyre had 'rushed' him. He alleged that an intoxicated McIntyre had been expressing a desire to fight and that as Pennington was attempting to leave, McIntyre approached him and threatened to shoot him. In his statement, Pennington claimed he then shot McIntyre. Witnesses, however, told police that McIntyre was unarmed. After the shooting, Pennington stated that he fled the scene and discarded the rifle, which was of an unknown caliber, from his vehicle; law enforcement was unable to recover the weapon.
Pennington was formally charged with first-degree murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and being a habitual offender. During a press encounter, when asked if he had a message for McIntyre's family, Pennington expressed his remorse, stating, 'I'm so sorry.' He also confirmed that he was responsible for McIntyre's death. His arraignment was scheduled for early February of that year.
