The following vignettes describe the circumstances for killings not ruled self-defense by private individuals with permits to carry concealed handguns. The incidents below all occurred in Arkansas. The descriptions include the current, known status of any charges filed against the concealed carry killer as reported by news sources as well as noting instances where the perpetrator committed suicide.
The Violence Policy Center welcomes any new information regarding the status of any case (with verifiable source(s)). Use this link to contact the VPC: http://www.vpc.org/contact.htm.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Chris Schnarr CONVICTED
Date: May 2013
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: In May 2013, concealed handgun permit holder Chris Schnarr, 34, shot and killed Arista Lee “A.J.” Aldridge, Jr., 45, during a road rage confrontation after their vehicles nearly collided at an intersection. The two men exchanged profanities, but kept driving until Aldridge cut Schnarr off and got out of his vehicle to confront Schnarr. Schnarr testified he pulled out his gun when Aldridge leaned on his car and opened fire when Aldridge stepped toward him a second time. Aldridge was hit twice: once in the shoulder, and a fatal shot in the abdomen, where the bullet severed his aorta. Prosecutors cited the testimony of a bus driver who witnessed the shooting and said that Schnarr opened fire while Aldridge was facing away from him. While acknowledging that Aldridge was the initial aggressor, they said that Schnarr extended the confrontation and had plenty of time and opportunity to get away without shooting. Schnarr was initially charged with first degree murder and his first trial ended with a hung jury in September 2014. In September 2015 the jury in his second trial rejected the murder charge and he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison. The Arkansas Supreme Court granted him a third trial in 2017 after finding that his constitutional right to a public trial was violated because his family was not allowed into the courtroom while jurors were being selected. In his third trial he was again convicted of manslaughter in November 2017. The Arkansas Supreme Court overturned that verdict, ruling that Schnarr was wrongly prevented from arguing that he acted in self-defense. In May 2019 Schnarr pleaded no contest to manslaughter, avoiding a fourth trial. He was sentenced to seven months in prison to be followed by a 30-month suspended sentence.
Source: “Plea averts 4th trial in LR killing,” arkanasaonline.com, May 25, 2019.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Marvin Arrell Stanton CONVICTED
Date: September 25, 2012
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On September 25, 2015, concealed handgun permit holder Marvin Arrell Stanton, 49, shot and killed Jessie James Hamilton at a Raceway gas station in Texarkana, Arkansas. The shooting took place after a 25-second physical confrontation in the gas pump area of the business. According to the prosecution, the confrontation took place over a parking space after Stanton told Hamilton to “move [his] f–ing truck.” According to Detective Jason Haak, Stanton started the physical confrontation by pushing Hamilton. After Hamilton gained the upper hand in the fight, he was pulled off Stanton by a female bystander. Immediately after, Stanton fired at Hamilton from a distance of approximately three feet. According to law enforcement, Stanton attempted to render medical aid to Hamilton before the police arrived by applying pressure to his wounds. When police arrived, Stanton’s 45 caliber pistol was still holstered to his belt and he had
two magazines with 26 rounds of ammunition. Stanton had a permit to carry a concealed weapon and was certified to teach concealed carry classes. Stanton was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years.
Source: “Texarkana man found guilty of murder in parking lot shooting,” KSLA.com, May 4, 2016; “Trial underway for Texarkana man accused of killing over parking space,” TXKtoday, May 2, 2016.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Edgar Wilson CONVICTED
Date: September 14, 2012
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On September 14, 2012, concealed handgun permit holder Edgar Wilson shot and killed Dale Levon Metcalf outside the Happy Times Liquor store which Wilson owned. On the night of the shooting, Wilson and Brenda Dolphin were working at the liquor store when Metcalf came onto the store’s premises. According to Wilson, there had been prior incidents where Metcalf cursed at Wilson or threatened his employees. Wilson took Dolphin outside the store to point Metcalf out to her. Metcalf and Wilson got into a verbal argument and Wilson pulled a .25 pistol from his pocket and shot Metcalf in the head. Metcalf died at the scene. Wilson claimed he acted in self defense. Wilson was found guilty of second degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Source: Travelers Home & Marine Ins. Co. v. Wilson, 208 F. Supp. 3d 1002.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Solomon Davis PENDING
Date: September 15, 2010
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On September 15, 2010, concealed handgun permit holder Solomon Davis allegedly shot and killed Timothy Lemont Prackett at the Steeple chase Apartments in West Memphis. According to news reports, witnesses said that Prackett was in an argument with several people over parking spaces. After the shooting, Prackett ran and then collapsed.
Source: “Man shot over parking space, suspect in custody,” wmctv.com, September 16, 2010.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: Vincent Williams PENDING
Date: February 21, 2010
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On February 21, 2010, 30-year-old Lashawn Davis was allegedly shot and killed by Vincent Williams, 31, outside an E-Z Mart convenience store in Jefferson County. Several witnesses told police that the two men had shot one another. According to a police report, Davis was found slumped in the driver’s seat of a 1999 gold Mercury Grand Marquis with his feet hanging out of the car and his body facing south. A .45 handgun was found nearby. Police found Williams on the south side of the store, bleeding, with a 9mm handgun nearby. Both men were transported to a local hospital where Davis was pronounced dead and Williams was taken into surgery. Williams reportedly told police that Davis had tried to steal his car. Williams had a concealed handgun permit.
Source: “PB Police Investigate 5th Slaying;” Pine Bluff Commercial, February 23, 2010.
Concealed Handgun Permit Holder: William Phillips CONVICTED
Date: November 1, 2009
People Killed: 1
Circumstances: On November 1, 2009, concealed handgun permit holder William Phillips, 63, allegedly shot and killed 62-year-old auto dealer John Robert Baugh Jr. Phillips surrendered to Little Rock police approximately 10 minutes after Baugh’s body was found in his crashed red Ford Crown Victoria. Phillips and Baugh, a father of two, reportedly knew each other from auto auctions Baugh conducted. Phillips told police that he had stopped to urinate by the side of the road when Baugh pulled up in his car, threatened to “knock his head off,” and then attacked him with a weapon. Police became suspicious of Phillips’ story when his description of the alleged weapon used by Baugh was inconsistent and the weapon itself was never found. Their suspicions increased when, despite the fact that Phillips claimed that the shooting occurred outside the vehicle, a bullet was found inside the car. Phillips son, Billy, testified that there had been a prior confrontation between the two men. Billy stated that his father told him that if there were any further conflict he would “take care” of the situation himself. Phillips was charged with first-degree murder and released on $25,000 bond.
UPDATE: On September 28, 2011, a court upheld William Phillips’ conviction of second degree murder and sentence to 20 years in prison plus an additional eight years for the use of a firearm.
Source: Phillips v. State of Arkansas, No. CACR11-270, (Ark. Ct. App., Sep. 28, 2011); “Murder suspect’s bond restored ‘Stay away’ from witnesses and slain man’s family, judge warns,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, July 2, 2010.