Suspect in killings of man, girls pleads innocent

FILE - Riakos Lizana is escorted from Clark County Circuit Court Friday, Jan. 18, after entering an innocent plea to three counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated residential burglary.
FILE - Riakos Lizana is escorted from Clark County Circuit Court Friday, Jan. 18, after entering an innocent plea to three counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated residential burglary.

— A man accused of killing two young girls and their stepfather entered an innocent plea during an arraignment before a judge Friday afternoon.

Riakos Lizana entered the plea in Clark County Circuit Court after Judge Robert McCallum read the charges against him: three counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated residential burglary.

Lizana, 19, didn't speak in court except to tell the judge "not guilty" when McCallum asked for his plea.

Lizana was arrested two days after the Dec. 6 slayings in Arkadelphia that left Bobby Jean Galbraith, 40, Adiele Crutchfield, 6, and Marley Crutchfield, 4, dead inside 1032 S. 11th St.

Two of the bodies were found after Galbraith's wife returned to the home, according to a probable cause affidavit. Responding authorities later discovered the second young girl dead and a 6-month-old girl who was unharmed.

Lizana, who had his ankles and hands shackled and wore a bulletproof vest over an orange jail jumpsuit, didn't respond to questions as he was led into the courtroom.

His arrest came after police received a tip that he was a suspect. He was taken into custody and a print examiner at the state Crime Laboratory verified a bloody print from the crime scene matched his, according to the affidavit.

Authorities have not divulged a specific motive for the crime. Clark County Sheriff Jason Watson said after the hearing that he could not comment on the investigation.

Several family members and friends of the victims attended the hearing. Afterward, they were escorted out by police and did not make any comments.

McCallum is considering issuing a gag order in the case. He said he should have a ruling on that by next week.

The next hearing in the case is set for Feb. 8.

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