In the summer of 2014, the life of 19-year-old Jamison Lee Plum was tragically cut short. The young man from Alma, Arkansas, a graduate of Alma High School, was killed on or about June 24 in a violent act that would later be uncovered. His family and friends were left to wonder about his whereabouts until a grim discovery was made six days later. On June 30, acting on a tip, authorities located his body buried in a shallow grave behind a residence in the rural community of Rudy, Arkansas.
An autopsy would later confirm that the cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation quickly led to two suspects, half-brothers who lived in separate homes on the property where Jamison's body was found. The property itself belonged to their grandmother. The suspects were identified as 27-year-old Jonathan Bridgewater and 19-year-old Nicholas Barrows. In a painful twist, it was revealed that one of the accused, Nicholas Barrows, had once been a close friend of Jamison. His family recalled that Barrows used to be so close to their family that he would affectionately call Jamison's mother 'mom.' During a search of Barrows' home, police also discovered pipe bombs, adding another charge of criminal use of a prohibited weapon to his name.
Both Jonathan Bridgewater and Nicholas Barrows were arrested on June 30, 2014, and initially charged with capital murder. As the case proceeded through the legal system, both men ultimately pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Nicholas Barrows pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and received a 40-year prison sentence, with an additional 15 years for the enhancement of a felony with a firearm. His older half-brother, Jonathan Bridgewater, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to a community shaken by the violent death of a young man remembered by his loved ones for having a good heart and a willingness to help anyone.
