The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Robbery motive in deaths of 5 in rural Arkansas

An unidentified woman hugs Karen Gentry, left, following a press conference at the Garland County Sheriff's Department in Hot Springs, Ark., Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. The department announced the capture of two suspects and the shooting death of a third in the five murders in Pearcy last week. (AP Photo/The Sentinel-Record, Mara Kuhn)

ENLARGE PHOTO

Garland County Sheriff's Lt. James Martin speaks at a press conference at the Garland County Sheriff's Department in Hot Springs, Ark., Friday, Nov. 20, 2009. The department announced the capture of two suspects and the shooting death of a third in the five murders in Pearcy last week. (AP Photo/The Sentinel-Record, Mara Kuhn)

ENLARGE PHOTO

Bus driver’s actions credited with saving students from injury
Updated 23 min. ago
Son of Beast won’t open this season
11:31 a.m.
Du convicted of attempted aggravated murder in WSU stabbing case
11:25 a.m.
Shawnee board to get help in search for next superintendent
11:15 a.m.
Schuler’s will open a shop on Derr Road
10:57 a.m.
> More headlines

By JON GAMBRELL, The Associated Press Updated 2:56 AM Saturday, November 21, 2009

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — Thieves shot to death five Arkansas family members and burned their bodies for the meager bounty of a set of wheel rims and some flat-screen televisions, court documents said Friday.

Samuel Conway and Jeremy Pickney, both 23, pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of capital murder, aggravated residential burglary and arson, Garland County court documents showed.

Police fatally shot a third suspect, 22-year-old Marvin Lamar Stringer, in a nighttime raid at a motel Thursday.

Firefighters had discovered four bodies in a torched mobile home after the Nov. 12 attack in the small town of Pearcy: 56-year-old Edward "Eddie" Earl Gentry Jr.; his 52-year-old wife Pam; their 24-year-old son Jeremy and his 19-year-old girlfriend Kristyn N. Warneke.

Police found the body of Eddie's 80-year-old father, Edward Earl Gentry Sr., in a home next door.

In documents filed to the court, police said a confidential informant told them that Conway showed him a gun and Pickney offered the stolen wheel rims and televisions for sale the day after the killings.

Garland County Sheriff's Lt. James Martin declined to answer questions after the hearing saying investigations were ongoing.

___

November 21, 2009 07:53 AM EST

Share this article