On a tragic day in May of 2014, the life of 71-year-old Douglas Arthur Cloyes, a White/Caucasian male, was abruptly ended in the yard of his home on Barber Road in Bald Knob, Arkansas. A retired businessman who had operated a remodeling company in Little Rock for three decades, Cloyes was known for his love of the outdoors, particularly hunting and fishing.
His peaceful retirement was shattered by a domestic dispute that ultimately cost him his life.
The series of events leading to the fatal encounter began with a violent altercation between Cloyes' son-in-law, 50-year-old Robert 'Bobby' Draft, and his wife, Kathie Draft. After being assaulted by her armed husband, Kathie managed to escape and fled to her parents' nearby home for safety and to tend to her injuries. What followed was a confrontation that turned deadly when Robert Draft arrived at the Cloyes' residence and fatally shot his father-in-law in the yard.
Immediately following the shooting, Robert Draft became a fugitive, fleeing the state of Arkansas. A nationwide manhunt was initiated by law enforcement, who considered him to be armed and dangerous. The search for Draft concluded on June 2, 2014, when he was apprehended without incident in the Detroit, Michigan area. He was subsequently held in Michigan, awaiting extradition back to Arkansas to face the legal consequences of his actions.
Upon his return to Arkansas, Robert Draft was formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of Douglas Cloyes, as well as felony domestic battery for the earlier assault on his wife. He was scheduled to appear in court in July 2014 to answer to these charges, marking the next chapter in a tragic story that highlighted the devastating ripple effects of domestic violence.
