Suspect arraigned on murder charge

Kelsey Christine Dampier
Kelsey Christine Dampier

FORT SMITH -- A woman was arraigned Wednesday on a first-degree murder charge in Sebastian County Circuit Court.

Kelsey Christine Dampier, 27, of Pocola, Okla., pleaded not guilty via video before Judge Stephen Tabor.

Dampier was charged Friday with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by certain persons. Bail was set at $500,000 cash.

Police responded about 3:30 p.m. Jan. 7 to the 600 block of North 18th Street to a report of a shooting. They found Joshua Flanagan, 37, of Fort Smith with a gunshot wound in the stomach. He was taken to a hospital where he died, according to a probable cause affidavit.

A witness told police Dampier was upset because her phone had been stolen, and Dampier traced her phone to Flanagan, according to the affidavit.

Flanagan and Dampier argued, and Dampier pulled out a purple .380-caliber handgun and shot Flanagan once in the stomach, according to the affidavit. Another woman who lives in the neighborhood gave a similar account and picked Dampier's photograph out of a photo lineup, according to the affidavit.

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