Police arrest 3 in slayings of 2 at Arkansas convenience store

Police arrested three people Thursday, including a juvenile, in the slayings of a Blytheville convenience store owner and a worker after receiving scores of tips from witnesses.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

The three were also reportedly thwarted in an earlier robbery attempt at another convenience store when employees locked the door as they approached, police said.

Isaac Branch, 25, of Osceola; Chris Clay Jr., 18, of Blytheville; and a 16-year-old boy face capital murder and robbery charges for the fatal shootings of Bahadur "Bob" Dhillon, 62, and Anthony Tramble, 56, Blytheville Police Chief Ross Thompson said.

Three robbers entered the Cherry Tree Food Mart at 1044 Chickasawba St. west of downtown Blytheville about 9:30 p.m. Saturday and demanded money, police said.

Capt. Scott Adams, commander of the Blytheville Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division, said authorities found Dhillon's body near a cash register at the front of the store. Dhillon had owned the convenience store for 15 years.

Police found Tramble's body near the rear of the store, Adams said.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses said they saw three men flee the store and drive away.

All three were arrested in separate locations in Blytheville, Thompson said.

Branch was arrested early Thursday morning and the 16-year-old was arrested at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, the chief said.

Police attempted to arrest Clay but he fled. He was captured after a brief pursuit.

Thompson said three masked robbers had approached a store on Interstate 55 in Blytheville about 9 p.m.

An employee spotted them and quickly locked the doors, Thompson said.

Police obtained store video of the three and their vehicle and later found the car parked in Osceola.

A forensic team inspected the car for evidence and identified its owner, Thompson said.

Witnesses at the I-55 store also provided police with the name of another suspect, the chief said.

The slayings shocked the Mississippi County town of 15,000.

Wreaths, candles, stuffed bears and flowers lined the walkway Thursday in front of the store.

"It's definitely heartwarming to see," said Harry Dhillon, the son of Bahadur Dhillon.

"I had planned on not coming back and reopening the store, but I saw this and changed my mind."

Harry Dhillon said his father had been robbed before at the store, including once about two weeks ago.

The three suspects were being held at the Mississippi County jail in Luxora on Thursday evening awaiting formal charges.

Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington of Jonesboro said he expects to file capital-murder charges, along with robbery and attempted robbery.

Because one of the suspects is 16, he can be charged with capital murder as an adult but cannot be sentenced to death, the prosecutor said.

He said the boy could receive 10 to 40 years or life in prison if convicted.

Blytheville Mayor James Sanders credited "old-fashioned police work" for Thursday's arrests.

"Our police worked hours and hours on this," he said. "The community came together to help us. We used every element we had to solve this."

Harry Dhillon said he will wait to see if the three are convicted before gaining some closure.

"I need to make sure they have the real people who did this," he said.

Business was brisk Thursday at the store.

"We will keep the store running," Harry Dhillon said. "We ask people to keep coming in like they did when my father was here."

State Desk on 11/11/2016

Upcoming Events