State to not seek death penalty in Washburn murders

September 21, 2016
Charlea Estes
Assistant attorney general Darrell Lee Moore filed a notice of intent to seek like imprisonment against Christopher Paschall, the man accused of murdering two people in Washburn last year. Moore filed the intent to waive the death penalty on Monday, September 19, in preparation of the pending trial set for March 27, 2017, in Judge Jack Aaron Louis Goodman’s Barry County courtroom.
Paschall, 39, of Springdale, Ark., is currently being held in the Barry County Jail without bond on multiple charges until the trial concludes. Paschall was arrested in Arkansas where he was held on unrelated charges before being extradited back to Barry County in late February of this year.
Paschall is charged with two counts of murder in the first degree, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of parental kidnapping for the shooting deaths of ex-girlfriend Casie Brace, 29, and her grandfather Herbert Townsend, 76, in his Washburn home on January 5, 2015. Paschall then allegedly kidnapped the two-year old daughter, Alli, Brace and Paschall shared.
On January 5, Barry County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Towsend’s home in Washburn after a 911 call was placed, according to the affidavits of probable cause. When officers entered the home, they reported to find Townsend shot and bleeding while holding a gun in his living room. When asked, Townsend pointed blame to Paschall for the shooting. Brace was dead in the home, and Townsend succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
As the investigation continued, officers in Springdale, Ark., found Alli in Paschall’s parents’ home safe. The girl was placed in protective custody.
Paschall and Brace had a tumultuous relationship, according to Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly. He said that Paschall had been stalking Brace for months. He also confirmed that she had taken out an order of protection against him but the stalking hadn’t stopped.
According to court records, Paschall had an order of protection filed against him for adult abuse stalking in October 2014 and was charged twice with violating that order since then. Paschall was charged in October for violating the order and then again on December 15 in 2014.
Charlea Estes
Assistant attorney general Darrell Lee Moore filed a notice of intent to seek like imprisonment against Christopher Paschall, the man accused of murdering two people in Washburn last year. Moore filed the intent to waive the death penalty on Monday, September 19, in preparation of the pending trial set for March 27, 2017, in Judge Jack Aaron Louis Goodman’s Barry County courtroom.
Paschall, 39, of Springdale, Ark., is currently being held in the Barry County Jail without bond on multiple charges until the trial concludes. Paschall was arrested in Arkansas where he was held on unrelated charges before being extradited back to Barry County in late February of this year.
Paschall is charged with two counts of murder in the first degree, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of parental kidnapping for the shooting deaths of ex-girlfriend Casie Brace, 29, and her grandfather Herbert Townsend, 76, in his Washburn home on January 5, 2015. Paschall then allegedly kidnapped the two-year old daughter, Alli, Brace and Paschall shared.
On January 5, Barry County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Towsend’s home in Washburn after a 911 call was placed, according to the affidavits of probable cause. When officers entered the home, they reported to find Townsend shot and bleeding while holding a gun in his living room. When asked, Townsend pointed blame to Paschall for the shooting. Brace was dead in the home, and Townsend succumbed to his injuries shortly after.
As the investigation continued, officers in Springdale, Ark., found Alli in Paschall’s parents’ home safe. The girl was placed in protective custody.
Paschall and Brace had a tumultuous relationship, according to Barry County Sheriff Mick Epperly. He said that Paschall had been stalking Brace for months. He also confirmed that she had taken out an order of protection against him but the stalking hadn’t stopped.
According to court records, Paschall had an order of protection filed against him for adult abuse stalking in October 2014 and was charged twice with violating that order since then. Paschall was charged in October for violating the order and then again on December 15 in 2014.