Hearing scheduled for Arkansas man accused in 4 boat killings

By The Associated Press

Photo by Special to the ADG/ WFOR TV Miami/ Casey Woods/Miami Herald

Undated snapshot of Kirby Archer.

ADVERSTISMENT

An Arkansas man who has maintained his innocence in the killings of four aboard the charter boat "Joe Cool" has a plea hearing scheduled later this month.

U.S. District Judge Paul Huck scheduled a "change of plea" hearing July 28 for Kirby Archer, who has pleaded not guilty in the September boat slayings of a captain, his wife and two crew members.

Neither of Archer's lawyers immediately responded to telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment. Federal prosecutors would not discuss the development.

Prosecutors have said Archer, 36, and Guillermo Zarabozo, 20, hired the charter boat for $4,000 to travel from to Bimini, Bahamas, then tried to divert it to Cuba. Zarabozo, of Hialeah, Fla., has also pleaded not guilty and blamed Archer in court papers for killings.

Both face charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping, illegal seizure of a maritime vessel and other charges.

The pair initially told authorities the boat was overtaken by Cuban pirates after leaving Miami and that the alleged pirates fatally shot the four people and had their bodies thrown overboard. Zarabozo later said they made up that story to cover up the crime and told authorities that Archer used his gun to kill all four people.

Zarabozo attorney William Matthewman said his client looks forward to going to trial.

After the "Joe Cool" was reported missing Sept. 23, the Coast Guard located the boat adrift and far south of its course to Bimini. Archer and Zarabozo were found a few miles away in the boat's life raft, along with their luggage.

Missing and presumed dead are captain Jake Branam and his wife, Kelley Branam; his half brother Scott Gamble; and crew member Samuel Kairy, all of Miami Beach.

Archer, of Strawberry, was a fugitive sought for the theft of $92,000 in a microwave box in a from a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Batesville, where he was a customer service manager. In a statement to the FBI in September, Archer admitted stealing the money.

Authorities have said Archer might have wanted to go to Cuba because Zarabozo was born there and Archer, who speaks Spanish, served there as a military police investigator at U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay. Cuba has no extradition treaty with the United States and rarely produces fugitives being sought for U.S. crimes.