Bond lowered for man accussed in Van Buren child's death

VAN BUREN -- A man charged in Crawford County Circuit Court with the death of his fiancee's 2-year-old daughter in November left the state rather than meet with police over a preliminary autopsy that classified the girl's death as a homicide.

Van Buren police Detective Wesley Marsh said Wednesday during a bond reduction hearing Jordan Shreeve, 34, agreed to go to the police station to talk about the autopsy report the day after Olivia Soto died, but first wanted to get some breakfast. Marsh said Shreeve never showed at the police station.

Instead, police say, Shreeve went to Michigan where he has family and remained out of police contact for three months before returning to Van Buren in mid-February to retrieve his belongings and return to Michigan. Shreeve's attorney, Chad Atwell of Fayetteville, said he gave police and prosecutors Shreeve's address in Michigan.

The autopsy report said the girl died from severe head trauma and the injuries were inconsistent with Jordan's story she fell out of a crib, according to police.

On Feb. 15, a police officer spotted a moving van in Shreeve's driveway at 2210 Granite Circle. After first telling officers Shreeve wasn't in Van Buren, Marsh testified, Shreeve's fiancee admitted Shreeve was at a Van Buren hotel where police found and arrested him.

He has been charged with first-degree murder in Olivia's death and his bond was set at $1 million.

Atwell asked Circuit Judge Mike Medlock to lower Shreeve's bond to $250,000. Atwell said he didn't think his client could make any bond, but if he did, Shreeve wanted to move back to Michigan.

At the end of the hearing, Medlock ordered Shreeve's bond lowered to $750,000. If he made the bond, Medlock said, Shreeve had to remain in Arkansas and get a job or enter a drug rehabilitation facility.

Atwell said Shreeve has only been charged in the past with traffic violations and has always paid his fines. Court records showed Shreeve was cited five times since 2009 for failure to wear a seat belt and for failure to yield.

Shreeve's ex-wife Pamela Shreeve said Wednesday that Shreeve was addicted to drugs during the entire eight years of their marriage. They divorced in 2016. She said there were no instances of abuse of her or their child during the marriage.

Chief Deputy Prosecutor Robert Presley argued Shreeve had no connection to the community to keep him from fleeing. His only reputation was that of a drug user.

If Shreeve were allowed to return to Michigan, he said, the state might have to extradite him to get him back to Arkansas.

NW News on 03/07/2019

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