Andrew Golden & Mitchell Johnson
Victims: Shannon Wright, 32, Natalie Brooks, 11, Stephanie Johnson, 12, Britthney Varner, 11, & Paige Ann Herring, 12
Ages at time of murders: Johnson-13; Golden-11
Crime location: Near Jonesboro
Crime date: March 24, 1998
Crimes: Mass murder
Weapons: Remington 742 .30-06 rifle, Universal .30 M1 carbine replica, Ruger .44 Magnum rifle, Smith & Wesson .38 Special revolver, Double Deuce Buddie .22 caliber two-shot derringer, FIE .380 pistol, Star .380 pistol, Ruger Security Six .357 revolver, Davis Industries .38 two-shot derringer and a Charter Arms .38 Special revolver
Murder method: Gunshots
Sentence: Incarceration until 21
Incarceration status: Released
Summary
Johnson and Golden used weapons stolen from Golden’s grandfather’s house to massacre five people at Westside Middle School near Jonesboro. The victims, four of whom were between 11 and 13, were lured out of the building into the courtyard when Golden triggered a fire alarm. As teachers and students exited the building, Johnson and Golden opened fire, injuring 10 and murdering an English teacher and four students.
Because Johnson and Golden were tried as juveniles, they were released at age 21, though Johnson was later sent to prison for crimes committed in adulthood, including theft, financial identity fraud, and weapons offenses. Johnson was released from prison in 2015 while Goldman died in 2019.
Families of the killer’s victims were each awarded $20 million in damages against Johnson, and $10 million in damages against Golden. The award will prevent Johnson from profiting off his crimes.
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Chad Kitchell
Victim: Robin Renea Richardson, 12
Age at time of murder: 17 and nine months old
Crime date: June 2, 1992
Crime location: Bauxite, Arkansas
Partner in crime: Steven Waggoner, 18
Crimes: Murder, attempted murder, & robbery
Weapon: Hunting knife & sawed-off shotgun
Murder method: Stabbing and gun shots
Murder motivation: Robbery
Convictions: Guilty pleas to capital murder & attempted capital murder
Sentence: Life without parole (LWOP) plus 30 years later reduced to life with parole after 30 years
Incarceration status: Incarcerated at the Maximum Security Unit
Summary
Kitchell and Waggoner made the choice to rob a grocery store and kill everyone inside. Kitchell murdered 12-year-old Robin while Waggoner shot and attempted to murder Robin’s mother Hazel, who worked at the store. Kitchell pleaded guilty and was sentenced to LWOP, though he got another re-sentencing hearing after a SCOTUS decision banning mandatory LWOP for juveniles. He was again sentenced to LWOP and appealed. The Arkansas Supreme Court has ruled that the killer must have a third sentencing hearing due to errors at the second hearing.
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Chris Segerstrom
Victim: Barbara Thompson, four
Age at time of murder: 15
Crime date: July 26, 1986
Crime location: Fayetteville
Crimes: Kidnapping, rape of a child, and murder of a child
Murder method: Bashing in her head and suffocating her
Weapon: 40-pound rock (for bashing in her head)
Sentence: Life without parole (LWOP) but set to be re-sentenced
Incarceration status: Incarcerated in jail awaiting a resentencing hearing
Summary of the crime
Segerstrom kidnapped, raped, and murdered four-year-old Barbara Thompson. The crime was extremely violent and brutal. Segerstrom first lured the little girl into the woods by telling her that they would catch butterflies. He then raped her violently–he rammed a stick into little Barbara’s vaginal cavity with so much force that it protruded into her abdominal cavity. He also suffocated her and beat her with a 40 pound rock. The beating was so severe that her skull was partially flattened with brain matter protruding.
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Kuntrell Jackson
Victim: Laurie Ann Troup, 28
Age at time of murder: 14
Crime location: Blythville
Crime date: November 18, 1999
Partner in crime: Derrick Shields and one other
Weapon: Sawed-off shotgun
Murder method: Shot to the face
Convictions: Capital felony murder and aggravated robbery
Sentence: Life without parole (LWOP) later reduced
Incarceration status: Released
Summary
Jackson was 14 when he was an accomplice in a robbery of a video store in which Laurie Troup was murdered. Jackson stayed outside while two other offenders entered the store and attempted to rob Laurie at gunpoint. Jackson then entered the store where Laurie was being attacked. When Laurie threatened to call police, Shields shot her in the face and murdered her. Jackson’s appeal was the subject of the Jackson v Hobbs case before the US Supreme Court. One of the issues at trial was what Jackson meant when he told the victim that they were not playing around in this robbery. Jackson was re-sentenced and released and is now an activist and speaker.
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Matthew Elliot and William Davis
Murderers: Matthew Ryan Elliott, 16, and William Davis, 17
Victim: Brittni Pater, 15
Crime date: February 5, 2000
Weapon: Metal pipe & car
Murder method: Beating with a metal pipe & running over with a car
Murder motivation: Brittni’s pregnancy
Convictions: Capital murder
Sentence: Davis–originally life without parole (LWOP) but later reduced to 40 years; Elliot–life without parole (LWOP)
Incarceration status: Elliot–Cummins Unit; Davis–released
Summary
Elliot murdered Brittni, whom he had impregnated, by beating her with a pipe and running over her with a car. Davis helped plan and prepare for the murder. The murder was intended to eliminate the problems surrounding Brittni’s pregnancy. Elliot was sentenced to LWOP and is still in prison today while Davis was also sentenced to LWOP but later had his sentence reduced.
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Travis Lewis
1996 murders
Victims: Sally Snowden McKay, 75, and Joseph “Lee” Baker, 52
Murderer: Travis Lewis, 16
Location: Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas
Crime date: September 10, 1996
Murder method: Gunshots
Crimes: Double murder
Sentence: 28 years
2020 murders
Victim: Martha McKay, 63
Murderer: Travis Lewis, 39
Location: Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas
Crime date: March 25, 2020
Murder method: Stabbing and bludgeoning
Crimes: Murder & theft
Martha
Lewis
Summary
Lewis was sentenced to 28 and a half years in prison for murdering Sally McKay and Joseph Baker, a prominent Memphis blues guitarist. He was paroled after 23 years in 2018. He went onto murder Sally’s daughter Martha McKay in 2020. All three murders were committed at the historic Snowden family home. Lewis drowned after murdering Martha as he attempted to flee police.
Martha had befriended Lewis after he went to prison and supported his early release. When Lewis was released, Martha gave him a job doing work at the Snowden home. She later fired him after he allegedly stole from the home. Lewis is example # 14 on our page on Dangerous Early Release in the section on juvenile criminals.
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