An arrest warrant was issued for a man in the death of an elderly Sherwood woman back in August.
Sherwood Police Chief Jim Bedwell said in a statement that Carter Wilcoxson has been charged with capital murder in the death of Katherine Cleary, 74. He said the two knew each other.
Wilcoxson was been in custody since Aug. 23 on drug and parole violation charges.
Cleary went missing from her Westlake home in Sherwood on Aug. 22. A garage door motion alarm triggered an ADT Security call to a neighbor of Cleary.
Cleary's body was found in a ditch off Boyd Road late the next night. Officers learned of the location from one of the women accused of using Cleary's credit card to buy a flat-screen television at Wal-Mart hours after Cleary's disappearance.
Bedwell the investigation found that Wilcoxson and Cleary had become acquainted while Wilcoxson was doing work for one of her neighbors. Wilcoxson and Cleary’s relationship continued even after Wilcoxson stopped working in the area, Bedwell said.
The cause of death is not being released, Bedwell said, because it is an ongoing investigation that could result in more arrests and charges.