Police say Little Rock crossbow victim apparently an innocent bystander to dispute

Police tape
Police tape


The 66-year-old man killed by a crossbow earlier this month appears to have been a bystander who was fatally wounded during a dispute over a woman at a southwest Little Rock apartment complex, according to an affidavit written by a Little Rock police detective.

An investigation into the March 12 killing of Charlie Williams, who was found dead with a crossbow bolt in his body around 4:39 a.m. outside the Spanish Willows Apartments at 7515 Geyer Springs Road, led detectives to speak to Williams' neighbor, 44-year-old Christina Gaytan.

Gaytan reportedly told police that the killing had been the unintended result of a disagreement between a man she had been in a relationship with for about two weeks and knew only as "Mike" and another man whom she only knew as "G."

Police have identified "Mike" as Michael Clark, 49, who they say was apparently lightly wounded by the same bolt that killed Williams, and "G" as Jerry Crutcher, 56, who was arrested Friday on charges of first-degree murder and second-degree battery.

Crutcher pleaded innocent to both charges on Monday in Little Rock District Court.

Gaytan was at her apartment with Clark on March 11 when Crutcher knocked on the door, she told police. She said she had gotten up to leave with Crutcher when Clark grabbed her and told her that if she was going to have sex with Crutcher for money, she should give Clark a cut, according to the affidavit.

Gaytan reportedly told police she left the apartments with Crutcher in a vehicle she thought was a dark Chevrolet Equinox. Another man, who referred to himself as "Six" or "Seis," was also in the SUV, and Crutcher dropped him off at the Days Inn on Interstate 30, near the Arkansas State Police Headquarters.

Gaytan reportedly told police she and Crutcher went back to her apartment, where she told Clark to leave. She said she then noticed Crutcher was carrying "some type of bow and arrow gun" and was shining a red light on the crossbow at Clark, who did not want to leave.

Clark later told police he had been asleep in a chair in the apartment and was frightened when Gaytan returned with Crutcher, who was wearing camouflage clothing and a mask that covered everything but his eyes, according to the affidavit. Clark reportedly said he assumed the man was with the police.

Gaytan said that Clark turned around and started yelling at her as he was leaving, trying to strike her, when they both heard a "swoosh" noise, the affidavit says. Clark ducked quickly, and police later located a cut on his right ear.

Gaytan said she did not realize that the crossbow bolt had hit anyone, but Clark said one of the other tenants started yelling for someone to call the police because someone nicknamed "Old School" had been shot.

The affidavit does not say whether Williams' nickname was "Old School" but does not list anyone else struck by the bolt.

Gaytan and Crutcher went back to the Days Inn after the shooting, with Gaytan reportedly telling police that Crutcher said he hoped the man was all right because "I did not mean to shoot him." Gaytan told police this was the first time she realized anyone was hurt.

At the Days Inn, Crutcher told "Six" -- identified in the affidavit as Dale Goodloe, though no age was given -- about the shooting, the affidavit says.

The room at the Days Inn had been rented by Leah Gooding for a party, police learned. She was arrested during the investigation on warrants for prior charges.

Goodloe later gave police Crutcher's address and phone number, although he did not know his full name. He told investigators that when Crutcher returned to the Days Inn after the shooting, he showed Goodloe the crossbow and asked if he knew how to load it, and Goodloe showed him how.

After telling Goodloe about the shooting, Crutcher left the crossbow in the room and left alone, Goodloe told police. Gaytan left with Gooding the next day, and Goodloe said he gave Crutcher back the crossbow that day.

Police matched the phone number Goodloe gave them to Crutcher and learned that Crutcher owned a black Equinox SUV, the affidavit says. It says Goodloe also picked Crutcher out of a six-person photograph lineup.


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