FAYETTEVILLE -- A Springdale woman charged with murder in the shooting death of her husband last year was given a Nov. 3 trial date Tuesday in Washington County Circuit Court.
Patricia Jordan of 440 Shorty Hill Road previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jordan also faces a parole violation related to an earlier conviction for possession of a controlled substance and simultaneous possession of drugs and a firearm.
Circuit Judge Joanna Taylor set the trial date. Jordan faces 10 to 40 years or life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.
A Washington County Sheriff's Office deputy was called to the couple's house at 7:58 p.m. Feb. 1, 2020, to assist Central Emergency Medical Services with a report of an accidental shooting, according to a preliminary report from the Sheriff's Office. The deputy found Jordan standing over the body of Cody Jordan, 34, who had a single gunshot wound to the head, according to the report.
Witnesses told the deputy there had been a disturbance before the gun was fired.
Patricia Jordan told the deputy she tried to give her husband a gun and it discharged, according to the report.
Cody Jordan's body had an entrance wound on the right side of his head above his ear and no exit wound, according to the report.
In a second interview, Patricia Jordan said she pulled the trigger on the weapon "to scare Cody." She told the deputy she saw her husband unload the gun, so she thought it was unloaded.
Jordan was released on $125,000 bond in May 2020 but was arrested in August on breaking or entering charges. She is being held at the Washington County Detention Center pending trial.
Jordan was serving three years of probation for a drug charge at the time of the shooting. She was arrested in July 2016 in connection with possession of methamphetamine or cocaine with purpose to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia and simultaneous possession of drugs and firearms, according to court records.