JONESBORO – Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington said Friday that he was “shocked and appalled” at the actions of a Jonesboro man who pleaded guilty to a 2017 homicide and is now posting pictures on social media of his drug use while in prison.
Now, he says in a statement that “Prosecutors believe Austin Ivy, 18, has posted Facebook pictures of himself in the East Arkansas Regional Unit in Brickeys by using a cell phone, which violates Arkansas Department of Correction policy.”
At least one of the pictures shows him holding what appears to be narcotics. Prosecutors also believe Ivy has used the phone to text to friends.
“We are as shocked to discover his activities in the Arkansas Department of Correction as is everybody else,” Ellington said Friday.
Ivy was charged in the March 27, 2017, fatal shooting of Alicia Carr, 21, of Jonesboro. Police said Ivy had an altercation with two juveniles who accused Ivy of stealing weapons from them. Ivy drove to their apartment complex on North Allis Street in Jonesboro and confronted them. Ivy, police said, fired several shots at them and struck Carr, who was sitting in her vehicle outside the complex. Carr, who was struck in the head by a bullet, died at a local hospital.
Prosecutors charged Ivy with capital murder. Like most cases Ellington’s office receives, a plea deal was offered and Ivy pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in November 2017 as a result of his status as a juvenile. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison but was apparently going to be eligible for release after 11. 11 years for first degree murder.
Ellington said Ivy’s posting in prison does not affect his suspended term because the suspended term doesn’t begin until Ivy’s release from prison. Ellington claimed his office could not prosecute Ivy for conduct in the East Arkansas Unit because Brickeys is located in Lee County, which is in the First Judicial District.
Ellington expressed concern about Ivy’s ability to use narcotics and post on social media outlets while in prison.
“I trust, they will take appropriate measures,” he said of Arkansas Department of Correction officials.
Prosecutors have also recently talked with a family member of Carr to offer guidance, assistance and support in the matter.
It’s good prosecutors are interested in the family because they weren’t earlier in the week until NEA Report made them aware.
The father of “Bird,” John Carr, now takes care of a 3-year-old baby who will never see its mom again. He contacted media outlets begging for help this week. He appeared distraught and outraged at the killer of his daughter taking drugs and posting his daily life on Facebook from a cell block.
An ADC spokesman said Ivy was under investigation at the prison for his activity. No other posts have been made by “Luh Austin” since.
But late Friday, we learned Ivy was in solitary confinement for the next 180 days.
This piece of shit Ivy commits murder gets 19yrs will probably only do 11 goes to prison gets a cell phone to talk/text too his thug friends which he could use to tell them to do other crimes maybe even to the family. He’s taking pictures of himself and the drugs his friends and family probably smuggled in “they’re all worthless” all this and the person who prosecuted him with a slap on the wrist says there is nothing he can do, if he “Scott Ellington” get elected as circuit judge will he also be this soft just because it easier and less work?