3 arrests made in arson-murder case, sheriff says

Nicholas Ian Roos, Mikayla Jordan Mynk and Zach Tyler Grayham
Nicholas Ian Roos, Mikayla Jordan Mynk and Zach Tyler Grayham

Baxter County authorities have made arrests in connection with a Nov. 7 arson that claimed the lives of an elderly couple.

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Nicholas Roos, 24, and Mikayla Mynk, 20, both of Gassville and Zach Tyler Grayham, 23, of Mountain Home were arrested on capital murder charges in the deaths of 75-year-old Donald Rice and 71-year-old Ladonna Rice, the Baxter County sheriff's office announced Monday.

The three -- who are also facing arson and aggravated robbery charges -- are being held without bail at the Baxter County jail. They are scheduled to appear in the Baxter County Circuit Court on Thursday for arraignment.

Authorities said Monday that Roos and Mynk were arrested Wednesday on separate burglary charges and were not connected to the Rice homicides and arson until several days later. Grayham was taken into custody Friday.

According to the Baxter County sheriff's office, investigators served a search warrant on Mynk's home and found items stolen from the Rice residence, along with other stolen property from a separate burglary.

Baxter County Sheriff John F. Montgomery said in a release that the arrests "were made possible due to information and tips being received from members of the public since the investigation began that were followed up on by investigators.

"Multiple law enforcement agencies came together in a harmonious effort to investigate all leads and bring the persons responsible to justice. The integrity of the continuing investigation is of paramount importance, and therefore little specific or detailed information can be made public at this time."

The state Crime Laboratory has identified human remains found inside the Rice's home as those of Donald Rice, according to the Baxter County sheriff's office. Though additional remains have yet to be identified, authorities said Monday that they likely belong to Ladonna Rice.

"On Friday afternoon, Nov. 13, authorities were finally able to locate blood relatives of Ladonna Rice," according to the sheriff's statement. "DNA is being collected from these relatives in order to attempt to positively identify the other remains at the State Medical Examiner's Office."

Officials said Monday that investigators believe Roos, Mynk and Grayham broke into the Rice residence on the morning of Nov. 7, killed Donald Rice and Ladonna Rice, then stole various items, including a large screen TV, from the residence before setting a fire that destroyed the home.

The suspects then left the residence in the couple's truck, the sheriff's office said. Authorities didn't release further details about the case on Monday, including how the Rices died.

According to initial police reports, at 7:34 p.m. on Nov. 7, an Arkansas State Police trooper was flagged down by a motorist who reported that a house was on fire on Baxter County Road 508. By the time the Midway Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched, the house was engulfed in flames. One of the couple's vehicles was missing, police said.

About 8:30 a.m. on Nov. 9, a Baxter County sheriff's deputy found a full-size pickup -- believed to be the couple's missing vehicle -- in a field in a remote area on Baxter County Road 1, near the Bear Creek area. The truck, which was later identified as the Rice's, had been destroyed by fire.

State Desk on 11/17/2015

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