Man Found Not Guilty After Nearly a Year in Jail Awaiting Trial in Paragould

PARAGOULD, Ark. — A man who sat in jail for almost a year as he awaited trial for aggravated residential burglary was found not guilty this week in Paragould.

Jordan Kevin Castor, 34, was found not guilty on Wednesday, August 7, in Greene County Circuit Court on charges of aggravated residential burglary, first-degree terroristic threatening, and aggravated assault, according to online court records. He was found guilty of misdemeanor fleeing and sentenced to 30 days in jail – a sentence he had already more than served.

“Obviously we’re disappointed in the result but we respect the jury’s decision,” Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Adam Butler said.

Castor was arrested in 2023 for the alleged aggravated residential burglary, a Class Y felony punishable by 10 to 40 years or life in prison. His bond was set at $3 million cash or surety bond, initially, meaning he would have needed $300,000 to get out of jail. It was later reduced to $1 million, but Castor was still unable to make a $100,000 payment that would have seen him released. He remained in Greene County Detention Center for 322 days, from September, 2023, until this week.

Castor was represented his attorney, Randel Miller of Jonesboro. The State was represented by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Adam Butler.

“I always believed this kid was innocent,” Miller told NEA Report. “He was in the wrong place with the wrong person and the whole thing got blown out of proportion.”

The incident in question was detailed more in the probable cause affidavit. On September 9, 2023, Paragould Emergency Services received a call reporting an intoxicated driver in a silver Chevrolet Cruze near Reynolds Road. Not long after that, multiple 911 calls came in about a disturbance on Magnolia involving a Chevrolet Cruze. One caller said several intoxicated people were inside of a neighboring apartment and were “wanting to kill someone with a gun.” Another caller said two males showed up at his home to harm him while he was away – but his wife and child were present.

An officer arrived quickly. Castor, along with his co-defendant, Malachi Shon Elms, 22, of California, fled the scene. Both were apprehended.

When authorities spoke to a female resident of the apartment, she detailed rather alarming allegations.

An individual on scene reported that the defendants entered her apartment, threatening to kill her, her husband, and her 3-year-old child. She advised Officers that the defendants continuously tried to jerk her down to the floor and demanded that she perform sexual acts, or they would kill her and her family. She advised Officers that the defendants tried stealing multiple electronics and food from the residence. She advised the defendants threatened to rape and kill her multiple times and also tried fighting with neighbors. She advised that one of the defendants threatened her with a gun.

No firearm was located by police. The PC affidavit also notes that one of the defendants jumped into a body of water while fleeing, suggesting that the gun may have been disposed of then.

Miller said there was no gun involved. Miller described the situation as his client being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He insists that Castor is a “good kid.”

“This kid was facing a lengthy prison sentence and I’m just so glad he was able to go home to his family last night,” Miller said on Thursday.

Jury deliberation lasted about an hour and a half, Miller said. When the verdict was announced, Castor hugged Miller as he cried in relief. Miller said it was a relief for him, as well.

“I truly believe this was all an innocent thing,” Miller said. “He was intoxicated. The other guy was intoxicated. It did get out of hand but they didn’t go in there to rape or rob anyone. This guy got into an argument.”

The prosecutor was hesitant to discuss the details of the case, since there are still pending charges against the co-defendant. However, he did say that the witness testimony did not align with Miller’s analysis.

“We had four witnesses from the public, some of whom came from two hours away to testify, that would dispute that version of events,” Butler said. “Obviously we felt strongly about the case and the seriousness of the case, to charge it and to go forward with a jury trial in the case.”

The co-defendant in the case, Elms, had been scheduled for trial this week. That is being rescheduled, the prosecutor said, although the new pending trial date has not been decided yet.

Elms remains in Greene County Detention Center on a $3 million bond, facing charges of aggravated residential burglary, terroristic threatening, second degree assault, public intoxication, and fleeing.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.