BENTONVILLE -- A couple facing charges of solicitation to commit capital murder entered innocent pleas Monday in Benton County Circuit Court.
Dorris Renee Jenkins, 36, and her fiance, Adan Taylor, 21, both of Springdale, are each being held in lieu of $1 million bond in the Benton County jail. Solicitation to commit murder is a Class Y felony with punishment ranging from 10 to 40 years in prison or life in prison. Pretrial hearings for Jenkins and Taylor were set for Aug. 6.
Jenkins was in the Benton County jail when she asked a fellow inmate, who was a confidential informant, if she knew someone who would "take out a judge," according to an affidavit filed in the case.
Jenkins told the informant she wanted Circuit Judge Brad Karren killed and agreed to meet the informant after getting out of jail, according to court documents. The informant planned to introduce Jenkins to an undercover sheriff's detective, according to the affidavit.
The informant and detective met with Jenkins and Taylor to discuss "the hit" and to hang out for the night, according to court documents. Detectives recorded the meeting.
Jenkins claimed Karren has arrested members of her family since 1997 and that she felt he is unfair, according to the affidavit. Jenkins said she had a list of 15 people she wanted killed.
The deputy told her it was expensive, and Jenkins trimmed the list to two people, according to the affidavit. The affidavit did not specify other names on the list.
Jenkins asked the undercover detective to kill Karren for a computer tablet and sound bar, according to the affidavit. The tablet was at Jenkins' home, but the sound bar had been pawned, according to the affidavit.
Taylor said he would retrieve the sound bar and get it to the undercover detective as payment, according to the affidavit.
Jenkins also offered an original photographic print of Marilyn Monroe valued at $25,000 as additional payment, according to court documents. A photo of Marilyn Monroe was reported stolen from a shop in the Farmington area last month by Mark Silva, who said he operates a vintage car business and deals in a variety of collectibles and memorabilia.
Jenkins is charged in an unrelated case with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of failure to appear. The case was assigned to Karren's court, but Circuit Judge Robin Green will preside over both of Jenkins' criminal cases.
State Desk on 06/20/2018