A Little Rock woman accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death over the weekend pleaded innocent to a charge of first-degree murder on Monday.
District Judge Alice Lightle ordered Paradise Deanna Williams, 28, to be held at the Pulaski County jail in lieu of $1 million bond.
Police arrested Williams about 10:20 p.m. Sunday in the death of Jerry Moore Jr., 33. Officers were dispatched that morning to a house at 1406 S. Battery St. and found Moore lying on the porch, bleeding heavily as a woman applied pressure to two stab wounds in his neck. Moore was taken to UAMS Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
A police affidavit states a witness identified Williams as Moore's killer. The witness, who was not named in the affidavit, told police he arrived at the "boarding-style" residence about 8:50 a.m. and saw the two arguing.
"The witness stated that he observed Paradise swing a knife at Mr. Moore which caused Mr. Moore to push Paradise away from him. At that time Paradise then stabbed Mr. Moore twice in the neck area. As Mr. Moore grabbed his neck, to slow his bleeding, Paradise fled out of the rear of the residence," according to the affidavit.
The nature of the argument was unclear. Police spokesman Lt. Steve McClanahan said Williams refused to provide a statement after being arrested. According to an arrest report, she also refused to provide a thumbprint and contact information for her nearest relative.
McClanahan said he doubted that Moore, who was self-employed and resided on South Summit Street, was able to speak to investigators before he died.
According to a police report, Williams had been living at the two-story home where the slaying occurred. Court records show she'd been released from the Pulaski County jail weeks earlier after being convicted of aggravated assault, terroristic threatening and criminal mischief.
In that case, she was sentenced to five years' probation and ordered to pay fines, attend anger management classes and receive drug counseling.
The Battery Street residence is one of many addresses listed for Williams in court records over the years. Since 2006, she has been convicted of multiple misdemeanor offenses including possession of drug paraphernalia, disorderly conduct, possession of an instrument of crime and third-degree domestic battery.
She was also convicted on charges of prostitution and loitering for prostitution during that time, often in the area of Wright Avenue and Marshall Street, court records show.
Court filings from 2013 state she was homeless.
Williams -- who also goes by "Smiley," "Melissa James" and "Dee" -- was found mentally unfit to proceed in a 2010 aggravated assault case, according to court records. She underwent three months of treatment at the Arkansas State Hospital, after which she was declared competent to proceed and negotiated a guilty plea.
It was the first of two cases in which courts ordered mental examinations for Williams.
She remained in jail late Monday. Her next court date was set for Jan. 29.
Moore's killing was the 28th homicide of the year in Little Rock.
Metro on 12/01/2015