JONESBORO — A Jonesboro woman who called police after finding her fatally shot husband in their home on Aug. 24, 2011, was arrested in his slaying Wednesday.
Michelle Despain now faces a capital-murder charge in the death of Marc Despain, 34, in what police call a murder-for-hire plot.
She will be formally charged in Craighead County District Court today, said 2nd Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Scott Ellington.
Three others have been charged in the slaying — one of whom has already pleaded guilty.
Ellington said Jonesboro detectives found “digital evidence” linking Michelle Despain with her husband’s death.
“It was determined there was sufficient evidence to proceed with the ... arrest,” Ellington said in a brief news conference at the police station Wednesday afternoon. “A warrant for [Michelle Despain’s] arrest was subsequently sought and issued.”
Ellington later said the evidence included cellphone records.
Police said Michelle Despain left work and drove to her home about 3:10 p.m. Aug. 24, 2011. She found her husband shot to death in the kitchen of their Jenni Lane home in southwest Jonesboro and called police.
Authorities arrested Michelle Despain’s father, Carl Dewayne Kelley, 58, of Paragould; Terrance Odell Barker, 27, of Jonesboro; and Johnny Hubbard, 51, of Jonesboro on Aug. 31, 2011. They were all charged with capital murder.
Barker pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on May 7 after Ellington offered him a lesser charge in exchange for his testimony against Kelley and Hubbard.
Barker will be sentenced in September in Craighead County Circuit Court. Ellington has asked for a 35-year prison sentence.
Kelley and Hubbard will be tried in September.
Another arrest in the case didn’t surprise Jack Despain, the father of Marc Despain.
“We had to weed out the rumors of time,” he said.
Jack Despain said his son returned to his home at 3 p.m. that day to pick up a hunting bow, and his wife was the only one who knew he would be there at that time.
“They were together at [lunch],” Jack Despain said of his son and daughter-in-law. “Then they went back to work. There was only one person who knew Marc would be back home. She left the bank, she said, to go home and get a bill and she found him.”
Jacquelyn Henley, Marc Despain’s sister, cried during the news conference announcing the arrest.
“This is the start of some closure,” she said.
Ellington credited Jonesboro detective Vic Brooks, Lt. Roy Coleman and computer forensics investigator Gary Shackleford for the ninemonth investigation into the slaying.
“We are fortunate that we have people who were so dogged on this case,” Jack Despain said.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 05/24/2012