PARAGOULD, Ark. – Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting incident after a person was found dead from an apparent gunshot would in Paragould.
The release from Captain Jason Elms of the Paragould Police Department says at about 8:02 AM on March 12, emergency services received a call of a deceased person with an apparent gunshot wound. The incident happened on Magnolia Drive, Elms added. Paragould officers responded to the scene. Detectives also responded to begin their investigation.
On Thursday, police announced they had made an arrest in the case. No other details were provided. The victim was later identified as Justin Bateson, eighteen-year-old male out of Ravenden Springs.
On March 14, 2024, the suspect, nineteen-year-old male Connor Grist of Pocahontas, was picked up by Pocahontas PD and was later transported to the Greene County Detention Center. It was then, that he was formally charged with Murder First Degree, aggravated robbery, and possession of firearms by certain persons.
The probable cause affidavit revealed more about the gruesome crime.
At 8:19 PM on March 11, Paragould Emergency Services received a call about gunshots near the 200-block of Magnolia Drive, reporting the shots within the prior 20 minutes. An individual reported seeing a male running away with a face mask on, a black hoodie, and a black puffy jacket.
At 8:01 AM on March 12, a 911 call reported a deceased male in a vacant lot at the same address. The male appeared to have multiple gunshot wounds to the head and was missing personal property. Police believe the victim left a residence with the suspect at about 7:30 PM that night. The suspect returned a short time later without the victim.
On March 14, a search warrant was executed at the defendant’s address on Magnolia. Police reported finding property linked to the victim.
The probable cause affidavit states that the defendant has previously been convicted of a felony and is currently on felony probation.
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What about the man that shot his self down at the end of magnolia . Nobody talking about that and this happened a couple weeks before this dead body so what’s up PPD why you not putting this on the news? Is it because it’s on the poor end?