Weatherman innocent in tub death, attorney says

An attorney for an Arkansas meteorologist found sleeping in a hot tub with a dead man said Thursday that no foul play was involved.

Authorities have said a Maumelle man found Little Rock weatherman Brett Cummins and the body of 24-year-old Dexter Williams in an unfilled hot tub on Monday. Williams was wearing a chain around his neck that looked like a dog collar and police found blood, but no water, in the tub.

Police have interviewed Cummins, a meteorologist with KARK-TV, along with his friend Christopher Barbour, who lives at the home in Maumelle. But no charges had been filed as of Thursday night, Lt. Jim Hansard said.

“Mr. Cummins continues to cooperate fully with authorities investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr. Williams’ passing and like them, looks forward to a conclusion of the inquiry, secure in his own innocence and confident that no foul play was involved,” Cummins’ attorney, Mark Hampton, wrote in a statement.

Cummins last appeared on air Monday after he was found with Williams’ body.

“It’s a rough time,” Cummins told The Associated Press on Thursday evening before referring all further comment to his attorney.

Hampton declined to discuss the case beyond his prepared statement in which he described Cummins’ reaction to Williams’ death.

“Brett Cummins is devastated by the tragic death of his friend Dexter Williams and extends his sincere condolences to Dexter’s family,” Hampton wrote. He added that Cummins “deeply regrets the grief this incident has caused those who know him, especially his co-workers and family members.”

Neither Barbour nor Mike Vaughn, the general manager at KARK, returned phone calls to the AP for comment.

Police have not yet released the preliminary results from Williams’ autopsy.

Williams’ relatives say they’re disturbed by the circumstances surrounding his death. They described him as someone who was easily swayed.

“Dex had a very loving but trusting heart,” the family members said in a statement released by their attorney, Randy Hall. “Anyone who knew him would agree that he was easily influenced.”

A police report said Barbour, who lives at the home in Maumelle, allegedly invited his friend Cummins over on Sunday night. Cummins showed up with Williams and they started drinking and doing drugs, Barbour told authorities.

“Mr. Barbour stated that he was not sure of the drugs that they were using but that they were snorting them,” Maumelle police officer Gregory Roussie wrote in the report.

At some point, the three men got into a hot tub and continued drinking, according to the report. Barbour later went to sleep on his couch and woke up Monday morning to Cummins’ snores.

He walked into the bathroom and found Cummins next to Williams in the tub, which was not filled with water, police said.

When Cummins awoke and found Williams unconscious, with his face discolored, Cummins screamed and became sick to his stomach, Barbour told police.

Cummins left the home, but later returned and spoke with authorities, according to the report.