On a summer morning in Faulkner County, Arkansas, the life of 32-year-old Stephanie Hermes was cut tragically short. On July 14, 2014, law enforcement was called to a residence on Highway 36, where they discovered a grim scene. Inside the home, deputies found 50-year-old Kevin Battle deceased. Stephanie, a female, was also found at the location, critically injured with a gunshot wound to the head.
Emergency medical services were immediately dispatched, and Stephanie was airlifted by Med
Flight to a nearby hospital in a desperate attempt to save her life. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, her injuries proved to be too severe, and she succumbed to them later that day. Investigators with the Faulkner County Sheriff's Office quickly began to piece together the events that led to this tragedy.
The investigation revealed that Stephanie and Kevin Battle had been in a previous relationship. The incident was ultimately classified as a murder-suicide, with authorities concluding that Battle had shot Hermes before taking his own life. The case did not lead to any arrests, as the sole suspect was also deceased. The community was left to mourn the loss of a mother and friend, a life taken in a final act of violence.
