In the summer of 1984, a wave of violence shattered the peace of Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas, leaving tragedy in its wake. On July 24th, James F. Stephens, a 55-year-old male from Little Rock, found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. That evening, a man named Wayne Lee Crossley began a shooting rampage that would end with multiple lives lost, including that of Mr.
Stephens.
The tragic chain of events began with a traffic stop, where Crossley shot and wounded a Hot Springs police officer. From there, he proceeded to the Grand Central Motor Lodge, where he entered the lounge and opened fire indiscriminately. James F. Stephens was among those inside and was fatally wounded at the scene. Three other individuals, Helen C. Frazee, Juanita Ritchie Allen, and Tom Altringer, were also killed in the attack. Another patron, John D. Crue, was wounded but survived.
The perpetrator of this senseless violence, Wayne Lee Crossley, did not face arrest for his crimes. His rampage concluded when he took his own life at the scene of the shootings. Investigators determined that Crossley acted alone, and no other suspects were identified in connection with the horrific event. The community was left to mourn the loss of the victims of this inexplicable act of violence. James Faucette Stephens was later buried in his hometown of Little Rock.
