Prosecutors secure conviction in Osceola murder case

OSCEOLA — Prosecuting Attorney Sonia Hagood of the Second Judicial Circuit today announced the conviction of Reggie Matthews for capital murder in the tragic death of Tiana Robinson.

Following a jury trial held from September 24 to September 26, 2024 with the Honorable Daniel Ritchey presiding, the jury found Matthews guilty of capital murder. Judge Ritchey then sentenced Matthews to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, the maximum sentence allowed under Arkansas law, short of the death penalty.

On the night of September 6, 2023, at approximately 9:20 p.m., officers from the Osceola Police Department responded to a report of a shooting in the 100 block of West Broadway. Upon arrival, they found 36-year-old Tiana Robinson unconscious, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Despite exhaustive lifesaving efforts, Robinson was tragically pronounced dead shortly before 10:00 p.m. Reggie Matthews was arrested and initially charged with first-degree murder. However, on December 27, 2023,Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Dustin H. Jones filed an amended information, escalating Matthews’ charges to capital murder.

Prosecuting Attorney Sonia Hagood commended the efforts of the Osceola Police Department and the prosecution team, including Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Dustin H. Jones, Jeremy Thomas,

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and Alexia R. Butler.

“The tireless work of the Osceola Police Department, along with our Deputy Prosecutors, has been instrumental in securing justice for Tiana Robinson. This conviction demonstrates our commitment to pursuing justice and ensuring that those who commit violent crimes face the full weight of the law.” Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Dustin H. Jones echoed Hagood's sentiments, praising his team and the Osceola Police Department for their unwavering dedication.

“Our office and the Osceola Police Department put in countless hours to secure this conviction. It underscores our resolve to take every violent crime seriously and to work relentlessly for justice. Tiana Robinson was deeply loved, and we hope this verdict brings some measure of peace to her family.”

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School districts dealing with increased threats across Arkansas

RUSSELLVILLE — Since the start of the school year, schools across Arkansas, including those in the Arkansas River Valley area, have been facing an unsettling increase in threats of violence made primarily on social media.

Districts such as Russellville, Dardanelle, Marion and Pottsville have all reported incidents.

Parents, students and school officials have all been left on edge. As these threats continue to rise, schools are implementing stricter safety protocols and working closely with local law enforcement to ensure the safety of students and staff.

Earlier this month, Russellville Junior High School faced a threat when a post that circulated on social media suggested potential violence.

In response, the district began working with local law enforcement, leading to an investigation and increased security measures on campus.

An arrest was made after law enforcement was able to identify the individual, but no other information was released due to the suspect being a juvenile.

“RSD, Pope County Sheriff’s office and RPD have a strong partnership with a mission focused on keeping our schools safe,” the district said when the incident occurred. “The safety of students and staff is the district’s top priority. The district has an armed officer on every campus and safety protocols in place to ensure safe environments for all students.”

Similar incidents have occurred in neighboring districts that include Pottsville High School, Western Yell County Schools, Dardanelle Middle School and Clarksville Public Schools.

Concerns from parents have been widely expressed in community forums, with many emphasizing the importance of addressing these threats collaboratively.

“We need to take every threat seriously to protect our loved ones,” a parent said in the Engaged Parents of RSD Facebook group. “I hope this won’t happen again to any school. We parents are also responsible for our kids’ behavior big time. I believe that if we work closely with our kids and try our best, we can save lots of lives.”

A chang.org petition has also been launched, calling for the installation of metal detectors in the Lamar School District.

The petition, which has received 281 signatures, argues that increased security measures, such as metal detectors, are necessary to ensure student safety.

Supporters of the petition believe that proactive measures can help prevent dangerous incidents before they occur.

“I have went to this school for so long, and it’s a great school, but with all this going on I believe they do need metal detectors or something that can detect a weapon,” one petitioner signer said.

As community members push for heightened security measures, local law enforcement has said they remain focused on addressing these threats.

“We generally handle them exactly like we would any other threat,” Andrew Reeves, the Public Information Officer for the Russellville Police Department, said. “After the threat is made and reported to us, we will investigate it until we completely run out of leads. Even though the threats are vague, even though sometimes they come from different areas in the state, if we

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ever receive one here around Russellville, and we hear about it, we’re going to look into it. We’ve got to treat it as though it’s real every single time.”

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Searcy woman dies in 5vehicle crash, 7 injured

LONOKE — A 49 year-old Searcy woman died and seven others were injured early Sunday in a 5-vehicle crash early Sunday morning on U.S. 67 North, near the 25-mile marker in Lonoke County, according to Arkansas State Police. ASP identified the deceased as Anadelly Villegas. She was listed as a passenger in a VW GTI. The seven injured were taken to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences [UAMS] in Little Rock. The injured were listed as Fernando Farfan, 55, of Searcy; Ontario Allen, 37, of Pine Bluff; 22 year-old Logan Smith,22, of Little Rock; 29 year-old Gene Given [city not listed]; Lilbet Hernandez, 41, of Houston, TEX; Vincente Gonzelez, 35, of Houston, and Rafael Mejias, 35, of Houston, TEX The report said that the 2006 VW GTI, a 2018 Toyota Tundra, a 2012 KIA Optima and a 2012 Honda Crosstour were stopped on U.S. 67 Northbound near the 25 mile marker for an unrelated accident with lane closures. A 2009 2009 Honda Accord reportedly failed to stop and struck the VW GTI, causing a chain reaction of collisions with the Toyota Tundra, the KIA Optima and the Honda Crosstour.

The weather condition was clear and road condition was dry at the time of the crash.