Photo: Ryan James Lindsey and Allison June Cunningham
Charges against two of the four people suspected of being involved in the murder of 35-year-old Cody Stradford have been amended to capital murder, meaning the death penalty could be on the table.
Forty-two-year-old Allison Cunningham and 28-year-old Ryan James Lindsey, both of Mountain Home, are now facing the amended charges. They were both arrested in Hidalgo County, Texas.
A bond hearing for Cunningham had been scheduled during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Monday, but was canceled. Bond for both Cunningham and Lindsey remains set at $1 million each.
Prosecutor David Ethredge said Cunningham’s attorney, Gary Mitchusson of Forrest City, had been made aware of the amendment in the charge.
Cunningham and Lindsey had initially entered a not guilty plea to charges of first-degree murder, arson, kidnapping, second-degree battery and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Cunningham and Lindsey were picked up on Dec. 17 last year in the Brownsville, Texas, area, about 900 miles south of Mountain Home on the Texas/Mexico border. Cunningham was returned from Texas and booked into the Baxter County Detention Center on Jan. 13. Lindsey was returned to Arkansas on March 19 and booked into the local jail. His return was delayed, when Texas authorities filed a charge of unlawful possession of a firearm against him.
Lindsey has also been charged with driving a car stolen in Mountain Home when he was picked up in Texas. Cunningham was driving a separate vehicle. Lindsey is alleged to have said he intended to sell the stolen BMW Z4 convertible, worth an estimated $18,000, in order to buy a “large quantity” of methamphetamine.
Prosecutors have not released all of the information in the case file. There is no information currently public, for example, on how the four suspects in Stradford’ murder came together or what motive might have been behind the killing. It is expected the information will be made public now that all of the suspects have been arrested and charged.
Stradford’s body was found in a burned-out vehicle on Dec. 16 when Baxter County sheriff’s deputies responded to the location just off Old Arkana Road south of Mountain Home. According to court records, the vehicle appeared to have been at the location for several days.
Photo: Skylar Brazil and Ashley Hendricks
Charges against the other two other people accused in the murder, 38-year-old Skylar Brazil of Mountain Home and 35-year-old Ashley Hendricks of Siloam Springs, include first-degree murder, kidnapping and battery.
Lindsey’s is the most familiar name among those arrested. His criminal history goes back to 2010, when he was a teenager.
In addition to Gary Mitchusson, other lawyers are now beginning to file notices of appearance on behalf of the four suspects.
Brazil will be represented by Mark C. Lucas Jr., an attorney practicing in Centerton.
Hendricks has also entered a not guilty plea to her charges stemming from Stradford’s murder. She is the only one of the four currently free. Her bond was lowered from $500,000 to $250,000 recently, and she was released from the Baxter County Detention Center, when the lowered bond was posted. She is required to wear an ankle monitor and to live with a relative in Northwest Arkansas.
Mountain Home lawyer Ben Burnett is representing Hendricks.
The four charged with killing Stradford are among 11 people now facing murder or manslaughter charges in Baxter County. Because of restrictions placed on the operations of courts by the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be at least May 1 before they can come before a jury.
Photo: 11 people are now facing murder trials in Baxter County Circuit Court. Pictured are: (top row, from left) Ryan James Lindsey; Allison Cunningham, Skyler Brazil, Ashley Hendricks, James Tyler Davis; Jeffery Shepherd, (bottom row) Savannah Wren, Baxter Stowers, Amber Runau, Jonathan Mauldin and Robert Dean Penny.
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