A Jonesboro man facing a second-degree murder charge is accused of beating to death a 56-year-old man in northeast Arkansas, authorities said Wednesday.
Witnesses said the fatal attack began after a fight broke out early Sunday at 946 Craighead County 625 between William Weston Moon, 32, and Steven McQuay, 56, also of Jonesboro, Craighead County Chief Deputy Justin Rolland said.
McQuay reportedly threatened Moon with a screwdriver, but the 32-year-old struck McQuay in the face and began to beat him, according to a probable cause affidavit. Witnesses told authorities Moon continued to kick the other man in the face and body several times after McQuay stopped fighting, authorities said.
Moon and a witness loaded McQuay into the back of a pickup and drove him to a home at 4711 Samantha Ave., in Jonesboro. The person who rode with Moon then called 911, and police and medical personnel found the victim dead in the truck at about 4 a.m., according to the sheriff’s office.
Moon was arrested and booked into the Craighead County jail, where he remained Wednesday at noon, Rolland said. He faces a charge of second-degree murder, and his bond is set at $750,000.
According to the affidavit, second-degree murder is a Class A felony, which carries up to a 30-year prison sentence and the possibility of a fine up to $15,000. Moon's next court date is Oct. 22.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated which man was struck in the face. Authorities said that William Weston Moon hit Steven McQuay in the face.