CONWAY -- A prosecutor charged two teenagers with capital murder and other felony offenses Friday in the shooting deaths of a couple who raised one of the boys. Police said the killings were part of a plot hatched in juvenile jail and aimed at stealing money and credit cards.
Charged as adults with two counts each of capital murder, aggravated robbery, theft of property by threat and abuse of a corpse were Hunter Drexler, 17, of Clinton and Justin Staton, the 14-year-old boy who lived in Conway with the victims, Robert and Patricia Cogdell, both 66.
For years, even after genetic testing in 2008 proved otherwise, Justin had thought the Cogdells were his paternal grandparents. In 2010, a court agreed to make them his legal guardians.
"There are additional suspects that we expect formal charges to be filed on in the coming weeks," Prosecuting Attorney Cody Hiland said. No persons of interest, or suspects, are "at large."
Both victims were shot "multiple times" July 21 and moved from their home to next to a woods, and Robert Cogdell's body was wrapped in a living-room rug, according to a police affidavit unsealed Friday and signed by police Detective Mike Welsh.
Two other Arkansas youths, Conner Atchley and Anastasia Rose Roberts, both 17, remained in custody but had not been charged as adults in the case as of Friday. Neither Hiland nor Conway Police Chief A.J. Gary would comment during a news conference on the status of either Conner or Anastasia.
The affidavit says that during two interviews on July 22, "Justin advised that he and Hunter were talking and he (Justin) mentioned some issues with him and his grandparents. Justin advised that Hunter suggested that the grandparents be shot and killed. Justin advised that he thought Hunter was kidding but when his grandparents arrived [home on July 21], Hunter shot both of them."
"Justin admitted to helping Hunter move the bodies of his grandparents and showed Hunter how to operate the tractor," it adds. "Justin admitted to taking money from his grandfather's wallet after he was killed."
Neither Gary nor Hiland would say whether the teens used the tractor to move the bodies, but the affidavit says police found blood on the tractor parked in the couple's yard.
During one of the interviews, Welsh wrote that Justin "starts to cry a little and says 'I'm so sorry, I don't know why I did it.'"
The affidavit says bullets fired toward Robert Cogdell passed through a wall and struck Anastasia and Conner, who were sitting on the Cogdells' bed. Neither wound was life-threatening.
"Immediately after Robert was shot, Justin entered the bedroom and was holding a black pistol with a scope," Welsh wrote.
Anastasia did not know where Hunter was at the time but thinks Hunter shot Pat Cogdell in the garage "because Justin would not have had enough time to get to the garage to fire the second round of shots she heard," the detective wrote.
Robert Cogdell did not die from his initial wounds, she told police.
"She advised that he was choking and gurgling while he sat on the floor outside of the bedroom. She told Justin that he [needed] to do something about the noise Robert was making and suggested that Robert be put out of his misery," Welsh wrote.
"She advised that Justin walked over and shot Robert [one or two] times. She did not witness the shots being fired but Hunter was nowhere around and Justin was standing over Robert immediately after the shots were fired. She did not shoot Robert. Conner did not shoot Robert," the detective said in the affidavit.
Anastasia also told police that there was a plan to kill the Cogdells, the affidavit says.
"She and Conner planned to run away and were promised a BMW to use on their run," police related, adding that Conner confirmed her statement.
The Cogdells owned a BMW.
Conner also said "that this plan was conceived while he, Justin and Hunter were in juvenile jail together. He advised that Justin's plan was to shoot and kill his grandparents, split a large sum of money and credit cards between the three of them and then they would all run away. Justin estimated their take at $50,000 to $90,000," the affidavit said.
"Conner confirmed that Justin gave him $1,000 and gave Hunter $500," Welsh wrote.
"Hunter's contribution to Justin's plan was furnishing weapons, stolen from his father's collection. Conner's contribution to Justin's plan is his vast knowledge of marijuana (buying, selling, and growing). Conner told Anastasia about the plan after he was released from jail," the detective wrote.
Police said tests indicate that two weapons -- a Ruger rifle and a Smith & Wesson pistol -- were used to shoot Robert Cogdell and that one weapon -- a Ruger rifle -- was used to fire the shells found in the garage where Patricia Cogdell was shot.
Police said that during a search of the Cogdells' house, they found a "To Do" list titled "Adventure Dank" in Justin's bedroom.
"The list contained steps to take each day of the week and a list of duties and supplies," the affidavit says.
The online Urban Dictionary says dank is "an expression frequently used by stoners and hippies for something of high quality." Internetslang.com says dank means "Very potent marijuana" or "Incredibly good, awesome."
Hiland would not say whether that list related to the teens' purported plans to kill the couple but said, "We believe everything in the affidavit is relevant" to the case.
Police in Graham, Texas, arrested Hunter, Conner and Anastasia as they drove through the north-central Texas town early July 23. Police there described the three as "persons of interest" in the Conway case. All three later were turned over to Arkansas authorities.
A search warrant for the Cogdells' truck, found hidden behind a workshop near the Conway home of Justin's mother and biological grandfather, turned up an AK-47, a 12-gauge shotgun, a black Smith & Wesson .22-caliber pistol with a red dot scope, and a 1911-style .45-caliber pistol, the affidavit says. Ammunition for both pistols and the shotgun also were found.
Police also said Justin had $1,540 in his pants pocket when he was arrested at his mother's home shortly after officers found the Cogdells' bodies.
Police said that when they searched Hunter's vehicle in Texas, they found credit cards for the city of Maumelle in Robert Cogdell's name. He was director of public works there. They also reported finding other cards belonging to Robert Cogdell, rags with suspected bloodstains, cellphones, live shells and spent casings.
Justin is represented by the Arkansas Public Defenders Commission. A woman answering the phone there Friday said the only person who could comment on the case was unavailable.
Little Rock attorney Patrick Benca represents Hunter and said he "fully intends on pleading not guilty." Benca said he has met with Hunter "on numerous occasions" but declined further comment because he had not seen the affidavit.
Both suspects also are charged with a firearms enhancement, which could increase their sentences if they are convicted.
Arkansas law provides that capital murder is punishable by death or life in prison without parole. Because the suspects are under 18, though, the state cannot seek the death penalty, Hiland noted.
He has previously said he believes he can legally charge a person under 18 with capital murder if the jury is given the option of sentencing the defendant to 10 to 40 years or life in prison without parole if he is found guilty.
During the news conference Friday, Gary, the Conway police chief, said cases like this one are difficult for the investigating officers.
"It's not something easy to do ... to see the things they have to see," Gary said. "Through it all, they focused on their jobs."
Hiland was asked how such a horrible crime happens. He replied that if people could sit in on juvenile-court sessions, they would see how "bitter" and "lonely" many of the children are. Then they would see that drugs are not "a victimless crime," he said.
Gary said the recent arrest of Michelle Staton, Justin's mother, for failure to appear in court on drug and alcohol charges was not part of the murder case.
The man Justin formerly thought was his biological father, Shane Cogdell, lived with his parents. Court guardianship records indicate that the identity of Justin's biological father is not known.
An obituary for the Cogdells indicated their survivors included one grandson, Justin.
A Section on 08/08/2015