Hunters find body of missing Springdale man

Richard Phillips (Courtesty/Springdale Police Department)
Richard Phillips (Courtesty/Springdale Police Department)

SPRINGDALE -- The body of a Springdale man, who went missing Tuesday night in a trail of blood, was discovered by hunters Saturday in Barry County, Mo., police said.

Police issued an alert Tuesday for Richard Phillips, 39, after they found a trail of blood Tuesday night leading from his apartment through the complex's parking lot at 1252 Cooper Drive, according to a Police Department press release.

Reginald Baker, 40, of Seligman, Mo., and Daniel Blanks, 43, of Fort Smith, each were arrested Friday in Tulsa, Okla., on charges of kidnapping, residential burglary and second-degree battery in Phillips' disappearance. They are in the Tulsa County Jail awaiting extradition to Arkansas, the release said.

A group of hunters contacted the Barry County Sheriff's Office in Cassville, Mo., about noon Saturday to report they had discovered a male body just north of Seligman. Detectives with the Springdale Police Department responded to the scene and identified the body as Phillips.

Springdale police were called around 8:15 p.m. Tuesday for a welfare check by a woman who said she could hear people fighting in a nearby apartment, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers talked to a man in the apartment who said he was there "hanging out" with Phillips when a group of men arrived. The man told police Phillips and the men began to argue and then fight. The men took Phillips from the apartment and left the area, the man told police, saying he didn't know who the men were, but it appeared Phillips knew them, according to the release.

Police said Saturday it was determined Phillips died in Springdale, and the case will be prosecuted in Washington County .

Phillips' body will be sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab to determine the manner and cause of death. This case is being worked as a homicide and charges for both Baker and Blanks will likely be upgraded in the coming days, according to Saturday's release.

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