CONWAY -- The attorney for a man charged in the July death of a Wooster woman said Wednesday that he would request a mental-health evaluation in light of his client's past.
Attorney Bill James said he had decided to hold off on pursuing a motion asking a judge to set bail for Tacori Mackrell, 18, of Pine Bluff.
Mackrell and his cousin, Robert Smith III, 16, of Pine Bluff are jailed on charges of capital murder and other offenses in the July slaying of Elvia Fragstein, 72, who died from strangulation and blunt-force trauma.
In Faulkner County Circuit Court, James told Judge Troy Braswell that he first wants to seek a mental-health evaluation because of Mackrell's "history and his family situation."
Mackrell and Smith also are charged with kidnapping, aggravated robbery and theft of property.
An obituary available online indicates Mackrell's father, Henry Lee Mackrell, died at age 78 in June 2015. Tacori Mackrell was among 10 children named as survivors. The defendant's mother, Linda Faye Ashford, died at age 50 in August 2017. Ashford's obituary names Tacori Mackrell as the only child surviving her.
Tacori Mackrell was living with Smith's family at the time of the crime. Relatives of the defendants have attended previous hearings for Mackrell and Smith but were not in court Wednesday.
"They [the relatives] were here for Robert," James said after the hearing. James said he's trying to talk with them.
Court records give different spellings of Mackrell's name. James' office said Wednesday that Mackrell is the correct spelling.
After the hearing, James referred again to his client's family situation and said, "There's just no way you walk away from that without some damage."
Also Wednesday, Braswell granted a defense motion for the state Department of Human Services to release records pertaining to the defendant, his father and his mother.
The department "may redact only the names of child maltreatment reporters and identifying information of foster care providers," Braswell's order said. "All other information shall be unredacted."
Information provided may be used only in preparation of Mackrell's case and "may not be further disclosed by without prior approval of the court," the order added.
Braswell set Mackrell's next pretrial hearing for Dec. 18.
Smith also is awaiting a mental-health evaluation and is due back in court Dec. 4.
Police have said Fragstein was kidnapped July 7 in the parking lot of the Conway Commons shopping center. Her body was found July 11 near Pine Bluff, and her vehicle was later found destroyed by fire.
Metro on 10/22/2018