HUNTSVILLE, Ark. Three adults were found dead and a baby was abducted from a home in northeast Arkansas, but the child was found unharmed hours later and a suspect was arrested, authorities said Wednesday.
Sheriff’s deputies discovered the bodies Tuesday night in the home near Huntsville, Madison County, Arkansas police said. Authorities inferred that the baby was missing and police officers began searching for two vehicles seen at the home earlier in the day.
One of the vehicles, a truck, was found abandoned, but troops overtook the other vehicle, a minibus, just after 10pm on Tuesday along Interstate 30 near Benton, about 200 miles from Huntsville.
A passenger armed with a rifle got out of the vehicle and started firing at the troops verbally, police said. Other troops pulled in from behind and arrested Hunter Chenoweth, 22, of De Queen.
Police said the driver of the van was a 25-year-old woman, also from De Queen. The less than 1-year-old child was also in the van. Police said the woman was questioned and released.
State police have identified the victims of murder as Tami Lynn Chenoweth (51); James Stanley McGhee, 59; and Cheyene Chenoweth, 26. Authorities said the arrested man and the people killed were related to each other, but did not say how.
The child was placed in the care of the Department of Human Services.
Hunter Chenoweth is being booked into the Washington County Detention Center on Wednesday. Prison records did not list a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. State police say formal charges will be determined by the Madison County prosecutor.