EL DORADO -- An El Dorado man is being held in the Union County jail without bail on several felony charges that include capital murder and kidnapping in connection to the fatal shooting of his estranged wife.
Robert A. Courtney, 58, made his first appearance Wednesday in 35th Judicial District Court, a day after authorities said he kidnapped 50-year-old Sheila Jones-Courtney at gunpoint from a local, family-owned business and led law enforcement officers to her body after he was apprehended hours later.
He faces felony charges of capital murder, kidnapping, aggravated assault on a family or household member, commercial burglary, felony with a firearm and interference with emergency communications.
He was ordered in district court Wednesday to be held in the Union County jail without bail.
The incident unfolded just after lunchtime Tuesday and involved several law enforcement agencies, including the El Dorado Police Department, Union County sheriff's office, Ashley County sheriff's office and Arkansas State Police.
At 1:11 p.m. Tuesday, El Dorado police responded to an initial call about a welfare concern at CornerPost, a packing, shipping, printing and business service store at 1205 E. Main St.
Owner Chris Jones told police that Courtney, his stepfather, had rushed inside the business with a large handgun and forced his mother, Jones-Courtney, inside the couple's vehicle, a Dodge Challenger.
Jones said Courtney pointed the gun at him and his mother and said, "We are doing this now. Get in the car and if I see a cop, I'll kill her."
Courtney also struck Jones-Courtney's cellphone with the gun and left the phone inside the store, Jones said.
After forcing Jones-Courtney inside the driver's seat of the car, Courtney ordered her to drive away, Jones said.
At approximately 4:40 p.m. Tuesday, the Union County sheriff's office learned that the Ashley County sheriff's office and Arkansas State Police were pursuing Courtney in Ashley County near Crossett.
Bill Sadler, a state police spokesman, said Ashley County deputies spotted the Dodge Challenger in the area and a trooper with the Highway Patrol Division assisted with the traffic stop.
Courtney was taken into custody a short time later and transported to the Ashley County jail.