Arkansas woman charged with shooting and attempting to burn man over land dispute

FULTON COUNTY, Ark. (KY3) - An Arkansas woman has been charged after she shot, attempted to burn, and left a man dead at a property in Fulton County.

According to online court records, 30-year-old Stacie Hickman is charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse.

According to a probable cause statement, on June 1, authorities got a call from a man named Dennis saying there was a body lying at his gate. The Fulton County sheriff and a lieutenant went to the home to investigate the body. It was later identified as David Southerland.

Southerland was found with a gunshot wound, severely beaten in the head, partially burned, and he had a piece of barbed wire around his neck. Authorities also found lighter fluid next to his body.

On June 2, Dennis told authorities that on Tuesday, May 30, Hickman borrowed his Ford Ranger. Southerland was there that day and followed Hickman. Dennis told police Southerland never returned to Dennis’s house the next day even though Dennis’s Ford Ranger was returned the following day on May 31.

According to court documents, also on June 2, a Salem police officer noticed a car sitting in front of the Arkansas State Highway Department. It was the same car Southerland left in the day before. Inside the car was Hickman. She was arrested.

On June 3, Fulton County investigators interviewed Hickman. She confessed to shooting and burning Southerland’s body. She told investigators the gun she used to shoot him was from the Ford Ranger she borrowed from Dennis.

According to the PC statement, Hickman told investigators that Southerland was trying to get some land that she was supposed to get.

She told investigators on the morning of May 31, she texted her dad saying, “Hey, it’s on the property.. have a little issue but I have it taken care of via our loyalty to the land and Convo didn’t go well but umm let them know I’ll be there shortly. I’m fixin’ t pull in.”

Authorities say her message was in reference to the truck and the land.

Hickman is being held in the Fulton County Jail on a $1 million bond.

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