Status hearings for two set in Madison County

Suspects charged with capital murder Both suspects face capital murder

New court dates were set Tuesday for suspects in two Madison County homicides.

Status hearings are now scheduled for Travis Bell on Aug. 9 and Cody Wise on Oct. 11, said Matthew Durrett, prosecutor for the state's 4th Judicial Circuit.

The hearings will be held at the courthouse in Huntsville. Both are charged with capital murder. Both have pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set in either case.

Durrett said he is awaiting the results of a mental evaluation of Wise. Additional records also have been subpoenaed in Bell's case, said Brian Lamb, deputy prosecutor.

Travis Allen Bell, 37, of Springdale was arrested after the body of Tommy R. Moffett, 56, was found Sept. 1 in the burning bedroom of a Huntsville home. Moffett had a fractured skull and .22-caliber rounds were found near his body, according to an Arkansas State Police report.

Investigators found a gasoline container and unlit matches in the hall outside the bedroom. The fire was contained to the bedroom.

Bell had been a roommate of Moffett. Moffett kicked him out because Bell tried to injure a child, according to the police report.

Cody Wade Wise, 27, of Rogers was arrested Sept. 4 after the body of Ronnie Kultgen, 53, of Garfield, was found near Clifty in Madison County. Kultgen had been missing for four months.

According to court documents, the Benton County Sheriff's Office received information from three people Wise killed Kultgen. Wise picked up Kultgen in Garfield and drove him to Clifty, where Wise shot Kultgen in the head and then pushed his body into a sinkhole, according to court documents.

A witness told police was Wise believed Kultgen had stolen $2,000 from him.

NW News on 07/13/2016

Upcoming Events