Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

New equipment nets arrest warrants

A new piece of equipment aided Clark County investigators in solving a residential burglary which occurred recently near Okolona.

According to Clark County Sheriffs Department Chief Deputy Tim Patterson, arrest warrants have been issued for Ashley Barton and Jonathon Newburn, both of Arkadelphia, following the investigation of a burglary at a residence on Arkansas 51 South near Okolona. The burglary was reported on Monday, Jan. 8, after the homeowner returned from a four-day vacation.

Patterson said investigators determined that a forced entry had been made to the house through a window.

Several items were stolen, including a rifle, pistol, more than 100 DVDs, a police scanner and money, Patterson said. The loss was estimated at $4,500.

Patterson said investigators developed a suspect during the course of the investigation, but the person was adamant that they were not involved. The suspect reportedly agreed to undergo a voice stress analysis to determine the credibility of the denial.

Patterson said once the analysis was completed, investigators knew the person was not telling the truth and were able to obtain a confession. The suspect also told them that the DVDs could be found at a pawn shop in Hot Springs, according to Patterson.

Patterson said the quick resolution to the case can be attributed to the voice analysis.

We didnt know absolutely, he said of the suspect brought in for questioning. But we knew it was someone who knew the residence.

Although the warrants had been issued, neither Barton nor Newburn had been arrested as of Friday.

Barton is the daughter of the victim.

Patterson said this was only the second time the voice analyzer has been used since it was purchased by then-Clark County Prosecuting Attorney Henry Morgan in December. The first time it was used was to confirm an allegation in a he said, she said situation, Patterson said. It works much the same way as a polygraph.

The machine will do exactly what it was designed to do, he said.