Trio plead not guilty in murder case

David Arthur Adair Jr. (top left), Zackary David Whitcomb and Lydia Elaine Riggs
David Arthur Adair Jr. (top left), Zackary David Whitcomb and Lydia Elaine Riggs

BENTONVILLE -- Three murder suspects pleaded not guilty to killing a man whose body was found on the side of a Benton County road.

David Arthur Adair Jr., 26, of Rogers; Zackary David Whitcomb, 19, of Rogers; and Lydia Elaine Riggs, 31 of West Fork were arraigned Wednesday before Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren. The hearing was held via teleconference.

Adair is charged with capital murder. He's accused of acting with premeditation and deliberation to cause Lavonte Jackson's death.

Whitcomb and Riggs are charged as accomplices to capital murder.

The three face life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted of capital murder.

Jackson's body was found Feb. 24 on the side of Van Hollow Road near Beaver Lake.

Benton County Sheriff Shawn Holloway said in February it's believed Jackson was killed in the Beaver Shores area near the Arkansas 12 bridge, which is 7 or 8 miles from where the body was found. Deputies believe Jackson's body was dumped at the site, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Karren read from a portion of an affidavit at Riggs' February bond hearing claiming Riggs tied up Jackson with a rope and belt.

Chelsey Martin, Jackson's girlfriend, told detectives Jackson was last seen with Adair and Riggs, according to the affidavit.

Detectives took screen shots of Adair's, Riggs' and Whitcomb's Facebook accounts showing a picture of Jackson sitting in a McDonald's restaurant wearing the same T-shirt he had on when his body was found, according to the affidavit.

Detectives also got text messages they say Riggs sent to a confidential informant concerning Jackson's death, according to the affidavit.

Adair, Whitcomb and Riggs are scheduled to appear in court July 28 for omnibus hearings. They are being held without bonds in the Benton County Jail.

Mark Brannan, 31, of Fayetteville was also arrested in February in connection with the case. He's charged with abuse of a corpse, hindering apprehension or prosecution and tampering with physical evidence.

He's free on $50,000 and hasn't been arraigned on the charges.

NW News on 05/28/2020

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