HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Roughly 12 hours apart, four people were found dead in Hot Springs after two separate alleged murder-suicide incidents on Thursday.
Both cases involved husbands who allegedly shot their wives before turning the gun on themselves. The ages of the deceased stretch from 26-to-55 years old.
According to the Garland County Sheriff’s Office, at around 11 p.m., 35-year-old Jordan Nutt arrived at a home in the 300 block of Long Island drive to speak with his wife, 26-year-old Bailey Nutt.
Witnesses who were at the location told deputies the couple started arguing before they saw Jordan shoot his wife.
While leaving the home for their safety, witnesses said they heard another gunshot which was allegedly Jordan taking his own life.
The Garland County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and pronounced both individuals deceased.
Lamar Trieschmann is the pastor of Jordan and Bailey. He said he would have never imagined such a tragedy would happen in relation to this family.
“I’m kind of just left with a big question mark,” Trieschmann said.
Pastoring for 27 years, Trieschmann has had to be there amid a number of tough times, and this is not the first for this family.
“I’ve been through a tragedy with this family before. They lost another daughter about five years ago,” he said.
But there are more people in this community that are hurting, as just 12 hours earlier at around 11 a.m., a similar incident occurred at a home on Buxton Loop.
The Garland County Sheriff’s Office said they got a call from the daughter of 55-year-old Daniel Chicas at around 11:13 a.m.
Chicas’ daughter told dispatch that her dad told her on the phone that he had shot his wife, 35-year-old Joselyn Paz.
Once on the scene, deputies found both Chicas and Paz dead with gunshot wounds.
All four bodies have been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for an autopsy report.
These investigations are still active at this time, pending the results from the crime lab.
Reflecting on the violence, Trieschmann said faith has always gotten him through tough times. It is his prayer that faith will do the same for these families and they heal.
“I think it’s his presence, that he’s promised to never leave us, never forsake us and I think we need to be the same way with each other and be there,” Trieschmann said.