Church fills for slain Arkansas sheriff's deputy

Governor among mourners for Yell County lawman

Family members, friends and law enforcement officers from around the state and nation attend a funeral service Monday afternoon for Yell County sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Mainhart at the First Assembly of God Church in Russellville. Mainhart was shot to death Thursday during a traffic stop.
Family members, friends and law enforcement officers from around the state and nation attend a funeral service Monday afternoon for Yell County sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Mainhart at the First Assembly of God Church in Russellville. Mainhart was shot to death Thursday during a traffic stop.

RUSSELLVILLE -- A Yell County sheriff's lieutenant who died in the line of duty last week was remembered Monday as a God-fearing man of honor and compassion and a leader whose top priority was ensuring the safety of the officers he led.

Hundreds of community members and law enforcement officers from around the state and nation flooded into a Russellville church to pay respects to Lt. Kevin Mainhart, 46, who was shot to death early Thursday along Arkansas 27 at the junction of Slo Fork Road.

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Photos by Benjamin Krain

James Arthur Bowden, 42, of Dardanelle is accused of shooting the lieutenant during a traffic stop and holing up for five hours with a hostage in a house on Gum Springs Road, outside of Chickalah in Yell County. The bodies of Rita Miller, 61, and Ciera Miller, 17, whom Bowden is accused of shooting earlier, lay on the home's front yard until Bowden surrendered at about 2:40 p.m. Thursday.

Bowden pleaded innocent at his arraignment Monday on three counts of capital murder. He was ordered jailed without bail.

Law enforcement officers packed the large church to standing room only with about 100 uniformed officers in the raised choir looking over the congregation. A black ribbon was wrapped around each of their badges. Civilians were handed a black button with a thin blue line in the center, bearing Mainhart's name and an end of work date of May 11.

Officers greeted each other, exchanging tearful embraces.

"I would say that about 80 percent of the people here did not know him," Maumelle police Sgt. Shannon Giompoletti said. "It's just general respect for all our brothers in blue."

Sprays of flowers, mostly red, white and blue, took over the stage. Soft piano music played as state officials, including Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, were ushered into the building.

Hutchinson and others walked to the family seating area and gave their condolences.

The tapping of marching boots and bagpipes heralded Mainhart's flag-draped casket to the front of the church.

Attending the funeral on her break from St. Mary's Hospital, Paulette Riding said that while she didn't know Mainhart or his family, she felt it was her duty to "hug some necks."

"That just hits you right in the heart," said Riding, nodding to the sea of uniforms in front of her. "And that big flag outside just gets to you. I don't know why people are so against cops these days."

Mainhart stood out from the rest, Yell County Sheriff Bill Gilkey told the congregation.

Gilkey said before he even spoke to Mainhart, he knew from Mainhart's demeanor that he wanted him to work for Yell County. Mainhart, who retired from the West Memphis Police Department after more than 20 years, carried himself in a way that denoted leadership and mutual respect.

He had wanted a part-time auxiliary job with the county but was persuaded to come on board full time. He quickly moved up the ranks, supervising a team of deputies.

"He was more than just their leader," Gilkey said. "He was their coach."

Gilkey likened it to a baseball coach, stepping on to the dirt himself and "making that swing with them." He was a stickler for protocol, especially when it came to their own safety.

"They respected him so much," Gilkey said.

Mainhart was a servant leader, not just to his officers but to the community, Gilkey said.

The sheriff retold a story from Mainhart's wife, Pam, about people in the community stopping Mainhart on shopping trips or during meals at restaurants. A man came up to Mainhart at Wal-Mart one day and Mainhart spent several minutes talking to him like they were old friends.

"Pam asked him who they were and he said, 'I've arrested him a couple of times,' " Gilkey said. The crowd erupted into laughter.

Mainhart was "real," Gilkey said, and he loved playing his own version of the game Jeopardy.

"It was Kevin Mainhart Jeopardy," Gilkey said. "It was answers only Kevin Mainhart would know."

Gilkey said Mainhart's humor and black-and-white thinking will be missed around the sheriff's office.

Throughout the service, 1970s country songs were played. The last was the Statler Brothers' 1975 hit, "I'll Go to My Grave Loving You."

Bagpipes again led the way for Mainhart as his casket was taken from the church. In the courtyard, guns were fired in his honor, followed by a police radio dispatch of Mainhart's No. 7 badge signing off.

"We will never forget your ultimate sacrifice," the dispatcher said over the radio. "You are clear to go 10-7."

State Desk on 05/16/2017

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