A man was arrested in Springdale Saturday in connection with the death of 56-year-old man found in a burning bedroom in a Huntsville home on Sept. 1.
Travis Bell, 36, of Springdale was arrested by Arkansas State Police at at Geneva Street duplex just before 8 p.m. Saturday in connection with capital murder.
Investigators with the Arkansas State Police were called after a Sept. 1 house fire at 14864 Arkansas 412 in Huntsville, according to a preliminary arrest report for Bell. The fire was confined to one bedroom and Tommy R. Moffett, 56, was found on the bed. Investigators found gasoline container and unlit matches in the hallway outside the bedroom. Moffett's body had a fractured skull and .22-caliber rounds were found near his body.
A Madison County news report stated Moffett and his dog were found dead just after 7 p.m. that night.
Moffett was buried in Tontitown on Wednesday, according to his obituary.
Witnesses interviewed during the investigation said Moffett had roommates including Bell who he had kicked out because Bell tried to injury a child, according to the arrest report. Bell killed Moffett's puppies while he was hospitalized or dumped them, one witness said. Bell suspected Moffett had sex with his girlfriend. Another said Bell was angry at Moffett because he wore his clothes he'd left in the house. Bell said he planned to cut Moffett and burn his house, one witness told police.
On Sept. 1 Bell was arrested by the Madison County Sheriff's Office on unrelated warrants, according to the police documents.
He got a ride back to Ma & Pa's Bent and Dent Store, 15045 Arkansas 412 in Huntsville, according to the preliminary report. Witnesses said he acted strange that day, pacing back and forth in front of the store. Later that day Bell appeared on his motorcycle at the 412 Express Gas Station and surveillance footage shows him wiping down his leather gear and shoes at the gas pumps.
Bell told a person he was going to prison for murder, according to the preliminary report. When asked he wouldn't say if he had killed Moffett or not but said it would look as though he had.
Bell had a previous criminal history of third-degree assault of a family or household member, carrying a prohibited weapon, violation of the Uniform Controlled Substance Act and failure to appear.
Bell was being held Sunday in the Washington County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond.
NW News on 09/14/2015