Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Dates Set for New Year in Murder Trial

Joe Louis Dansby, the man accused of murdering Jeff Lewis and Malissa Clark on May 16, 1992, returned to court Thursday, Aug. 31.

However, Dansby had no attorney present with him at this time, though he told 8th Judicial District Circuit Judge Joe Griffin he was being represented by R.S. McCullough of Little Rock at his first appearance on Aug. 10. Griffin, Thursday, advised Dansby of his rights once again, and reminded him of the charges and possible punishment.

Griffin told Dansby because of the nature of the charges he needed to consult an attorney and notify the court as to who the lawyer will be.

Dansby, in a barely audible voice, told Griffin he had been in contact with McCullough by letter, but had no proof the Little Rock barrister was representing him in this matter.

"You're facing serious charges here," Griffin told Dansby. "Your attorney needs to get started in preparation of your defense."

Griffin then set another court date for Dansby for Sept. 19, 1995, at 9:00 a.m. for the purpose of discussing his attorney. He appointed local lawyer Gene Hale to act as a special defense attorney in the case to help with communication between Dansby and McCullough, and to act in his behalf if something comes up before Sept. 19.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Danny Rogers conferred with the judge on pretrial and trial dates for Dansby. They agreed to a pre-trial hearing on Dec. 11, 1995, with trial scheduled to begin Jan. 16, 1996.

Dansby is being held without bond because he had to be extradited from Altus, Okla., on Aug. 10 by Nevada County Sheriff Harold Vines. At the time Vines said it took more than six hours to make the trip back after the extradition was approved. He said Dansby made no statements on the way to Prescott.

At his first appearance before Griffin Dansby was informed of the charges: the murder and rape of Malissa Clark and the murder of Jeff Lewis on or about May 1, 1992. He was told the charges are class Y felonies, punishable by life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, or death.

In discussing the case Vines said his office had been working on it since the first of the year when he took office. He said the Nevada County sheriff's office has a good case against Dansby.

According to reports from May 1992, the bodies of Lewis, 24, and Clark, 21, who were engaged to be married, were found about 7:30 p.m. on May 16, a Sunday. Each had apparently been shot with what appeared to be a .22 caliber weapon.

The two had told family members they were going to ride Lewis' all-terrain vehicle Saturday afternoon. When they did not return Saturday night, their families got worried.

The search was begun Sunday by former chief deputy Harley Hillery, Clark's stepfather. As word about the missing young couple got out more and more residents joined the search. There were more than 100 people combing the woods searching for Lewis and Clark at one point.

The first break came for the search parties when traces of blood were found on a pair of gym shorts belonging to Lewis. These were found in the Lackland Springs area. Searchers also found traces of blood on the ground in the region.

Former Nevada County Sheriff Abb Morman sent Lamar Barham, a Cale resident, to an area Barham knew well. Barham located Lewis' pickup, and called for help. Clark's body was found near the truck, while Lewis' was found in the truck bed, wedged between the bed wall and his ATV.

Evidence, according to reports, showed the two had been shot in one location and moved to another, where they were left.

In 1994, acting on a tip from an informant, Morman and his deputies located a .22 caliber rifle in a pool of water about 12 feet deep in a gravel pit near the Prescott Raceway on Highway 53. Divers found the weapon, and ballistics tests were run on it.

The first tests were done at the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock, but were inconclusive. The weapon was sent to a Canadian lab for further testing. The rifle reportedly belonged to Dansby.

In mid-July 1995 authorities were notified Dansby was in Altus, Okla., where he had been arrested by the Altus Police Department and was being held in the Jackson County Jail. Dansby refused to return to Arkansas on his own, thereby forcing the extradition hearing.