Two Arkansas residents have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder following the investigation of a Jan. 8 stabbing death in Hardy, Ark., Fulton County Arkansas Sheriff Jake Smith announced Friday.
Shawn E. Cox, 52, and Anna M. Hamilton, 48, are held a half-million-dollar bond each, court records show. The addresses of the suspects were not released by Smith and aren't included in court records, which describe the altercation preceding the death as between family members and describe Cox as Hamilton's boyfriend.
Deputies reportedly responded to a 911 call to a home in Hardy and on arrival found Derek Hamilton, 26, with apparent multiple stab wounds, later pronounced dead by Fulton County Coroner Steve Barker.
At the time, Smith said Hamilton appeared to have been injured during a domestic altercation, his body had been sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner's office, and two suspects were taken into custody that night and released after questioning.
In Smith's Friday update, he noted the arrests were made with the assistance of Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell. Hardy, Ark., is located on the line between Fulton and Sharp counties. The case is being prosecuted by Fulton County Prosecutor Dwayne Plumlee.
Court records show deputies arrived to the scene to find Derek Hamilton dead with multiple stab wounds to the front and back of his torso, and Cox reportedly admitted stabbing him, allegedly after the victim attacked Anna Hamilton during an argument.
Smith said in a report submitted to prosecutors that Anna Hamilton made the spontaneous statement at the scene that if Derek raised his hand to her one more time she was going to "take him out of this world."
Both suspects also reportedly admitted they all had been drinking alcohol prior to the incident, and Anna Hamilton allegedly said she was highly intoxicated at the time Derek was stabbed, and she couldn't remember if she saw the victim with a knife at the time of the stabbing or earlier that evening.
During the investigative interview, Cox reportedly acknowledged getting the knife, going to break up the fight between the other two, and when Derek Hamilton began hitting Cox, stabbing the victim in the back and stomach. Cox allegedly also acknowledged the other man was unarmed.
Smith added in his statement that a recording taken that night was submitted to investigators with the sheriff’s office, and in that recording, Derek Hamilton can be heard saying "This b***** is going to kill my a**, she's busting my a**, my back is broken what am I supposed to do?,” which the deputy concluded could be consistent with the knife injuries to the back he received.
