Arkansas State Police recently arrested two people in a fatal shooting last month in Little River County.
Aaron M. Rhodes, 23, of Little River County was arrested Nov. 6 on a manslaughter charge in the shooting death of Matthew Stewart. Courtney Clemensen, 20, of Little River County was arrested that day over accusations of tampering with evidence.
Rhodes and Clemensen are scheduled for a first appearance Tuesday in Little River County Circuit Court in Ashdown, where they will be informed of the charges filed against them and pretrial and trial dates will be scheduled.
An arrest affidavit states that deputies were called to Rhodes and Clemenson's residence at 2094 Arkansas 32 West about 8:30 p.m. Oct. 9 after a report of a shooting.
When deputies arrived, they found the body of Matthew Stewart in a chair with a fatal gunshot wound to the head, according to the affidavit prepared by state police Special Agent John Rhone.
Deputies said that at the time, Rhodes and Clemensen told police that Stewart shot himself.
Both later changed their statements during follow-up interviews with state police.
According to the affidavit, when Rhone arrived a couple of days later to continue the investigation, Rhodes instead said that time that he accidentally shot Stewart while playing with a .45-caliber pistol.
Stewart was sitting in a chair in the living room texting on his phone, and Rhodes was reportedly smoking marijuana when Rhodes picked up his handgun and began to play with it, Rhodes said, according to the affidavit.
While playing with the gun, the firing pin was activated by a trigger pull, and a chambered bullet struck Stewart on the top of his head, according to the document.
The affidavit states that after the shooting, Clemensen wiped the gun down to prevent it "from being forensically processed for fingerprints."
Clemensen also told police that she picked up the shell casing ejected from the gun, the affidavit said.
"During a follow-up interview, Clemensen changed her statement and stated Rhodes accidentally shot Stewart," the affidavit states.
Clemensen is being held in the Sevier County jail in De Queen, because the Little River County jail does not house women. Rhodes is being held at the Little River County jail in Ashdown.
Arkansas State Police are still investigating.
State Desk on 11/13/2015