Springdale Man Proclaims Innocence In Abel Theft Case

Adams
Adams

— A Springdale man denies stealing silver or gold coins and says he and his wife are innocent.

John Adams and Sydney Adams are charged with theft by receiving, a Class B felony. The charges stem from an incident in which a safe was taken from Edward Abel's home in 2012, according to court documents. The couple pleaded not guilty to the charges Monday morning during arraignments before Circuit Judge Brad Karren.

Abel, 62, was stabbed to death and pronounced dead Aug. 16 at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale. Abel lived in the portion of Springdale in Benton County.

John Armando Guerra, 55, of Duson, La., and James Michael Smith, 48, of Springdale face capital murder and aggravated robbery charges in connection with Abel's death.

Pamela Jerrold, 48, of Springdale, John Adams, 32, of Springdale, and Sydney Adams, 31 , of Duncan, Okla., have been arrested on theft-related charges involving Abel.

Smith and Jerrold are in a relationship and at one point lived together, according to court documents. Jerrold was friends with John and Sydney Adams, who at one point lived with Abel, according to court documents.

The Adamses and Jerrold don't face charges in connection with the murder. They are accused of being involved in a September 2012 theft of a safe from Abel's home. The safe contained gold or silver coins, according to court documents.

John Adams sent a letter from the Benton County Jail to NWA Media last week. He contends in the letter that he and his wife are innocent.

Fayetteville attorney Herb Southern, who represents John Adams, confirmed Monday that the letter was written by his client.

"I do not have any information about his murder," John Adams states in the letter." I write to you today so that the voice of innocence be printed."

John Adams states in the letter that Abel hired him and another man to help clean up his property and home in August 2012, and Abel later asked the Adamses to move in with him.

An affidavit of probable cause states that Abel asked the couple to move out because Abel suspected John Adams of stealing ammunition from him. John Adams claims in his letter that the couple moved after they became ill because of black mold in Abel's home.

Abel helped the couple with financial issues and even named John Adams a beneficiary in his will, according to the letter.

John Adams claims that Abel gave the couple a safe and property in August 2012. The letter states that the safe contained "gold and silver."

Court documents claim that a safe was stolen from Abel's porch.

John Adams said in the letter that Abel never filed a stolen property complaint with the police against either him or his wife.

Springdale police were able to trace instances where Jerrold sold some of the coins at various locations. Jerrold received $1,675 on Oct. 19, 2012, and $1,393 on Oct. 20, 2012. There was another transaction, but the amount was not listed in court documents.

Springdale police were called at 11:15 p.m. Aug. 16 to Abel's home on East Brown Road. A woman reported Abel left a message on her voice mail.

The woman could hear Abel pleading with people who demanded to know where he kept his safe. Abel could be heard telling someone to take his wallet because that was all he had. One person demanded to know where the safe was. Abel denied having a safe. The person again demanded to know where the safe was, according to the affidavit.

Police found Abel on his kitchen floor, according to court documents.

The Adamses, Smith, Jerrold and Guerra are all being held in the county jail.

NW News on 03/11/2014

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