FAYETTEVILLE — The second trial of a former Little Rock resident in the killing of his ex-mother-in-law began Monday.
Raymond Robert Lee Douglas is accused of killing Goldie Thornsberry, 65, who was last seen in Fayetteville in January 1996. She was reported missing two months later, and her remains were found in Little Douglas
Rock in 2000. The bones were not identified as Thornsberry’s until June 2010 through the use of DNA.
Circuit Judge William Storey of Fayetteville declared a mistrial Aug. 16 after the jury heard potentially prejudicial testimony related to Douglas’ past prison time.
Douglas and Thornsberry’s daughter, Reta Kay Flowers, were charged with first-degree murder the same month that the woman’s remains were identified.
Flowers, who divorced Douglas in August 1999, testified two months ago that prosecutors agreed she could plead guilty to charges of hindering apprehension in exchange for her testimony against Douglas. Their agreement, she said, would give her a 20-year sentence with 10 years suspended. She could be released within five years.
Flowers is expected to testify against Douglas again in the trial that began Monday.
Flowers was about four months pregnant in late January 1996 when her mother vanished. Flowers, Douglas and one of Flowers’ daughters were living at the time with Thornsberry in the woman’s modest, one-bedroom apartment on South Lewis Street.
Flowers and Douglas moved to Little Rock’s Pankey community on March 1, 1996, to live with Douglas’ mother in a home that is located about a quarter of a mile from the spot where Thornsberry’s remains were found four years later. A land-survey crew discovered the remains in an abandoned cistern on a vacant lot in July 2000.
Douglas and Flowers were charged with second-degree forgery in connection with Thornsberry’s drained bank accounts and pleaded guilty Sept. 5, 1996.
Flowers was living in southwest Little Rock and Douglas was living in Benton when they were arrested in Thornsberry’s death.
Douglas and Flowers, both 42, remain in the Washington County jail in lieu of $250,000 bond.
The trial is to recommence at 9 a.m. today.
Arkansas, Pages 14 on 10/25/2011