Arkansas man pleads not guilty in deaths of mother, stepfather

Dustin Price
Dustin Price

FAYETTEVILLE — A Springdale man who police say fatally stabbed his mother and stepfather pleaded not guilty to murder charges Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court.

Dustin Glenn Price, 28, is charged with two counts of capital murder, first-degree battery, residential burglary and terroristic threatening of a police officer, all felonies. He also faces a misdemeanor charge of third-degree assault. Price is being held at the Washington County jail with no bond, which is typical in capital-murder cases.

Not guilty is the only plea that can be entered at arraignment for capital murder.

Price was given an initial court date of Feb. 3 before Circuit Judge Mark Lindsay.

According to a news release from Springdale police, Price broke into his mother’s home at 2306 Sandy St. about 2:30 a.m. Aug. 26. His mother, Theresa Hendershot, called 911 and said her son had stabbed her husband, Jim. Police found the two unresponsive on the floor with stab wounds and blunt force trauma injuries.

Police said Theresa Hendershot, 47, died at her home. James Hendershot, 47, died at Northwest Medical Center-Springdale.

Officers found a small knife and aluminum bat, both covered in what appeared to be blood, according to an arrest report.

Police said that after stabbing his parents, Price went to a boarding house at 902 Caudle Ave., where he stabbed and injured 52-year-old Daniel Teyhen.

Price was found later in the day riding a moped in Fayetteville and arrested without incident. Additional weapons were found on Price and the moped, according to the report.

While being interviewed at the Springdale Police Department, Price lunged at detectives and said he would kill them, according to the report.

Price has a history of substance abuse and was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in 2012 after a court-ordered examination, according to court documents. Schizoaffective disorder is a blend of typical schizophrenia symptoms, such as seeing or hearing things that aren’t real, with a mood disorder like depression or manic behavior, according to the Mayo Clinic and the National Alliance on Mental Health.

Court records show Price has a history of criminal activity, including assault, battery and threatening charges dating back to 2007. He has been committed to the Arkansas State Hospital more than once, and court records show he was last released in June.

Price was acquitted of criminal charges at least twice because of a mental disease or defect.

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