Update: Perry County Woman Was Stabbed to Death
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: July 25, 2012
Update (July 25, 11:00 a.m.):
KARK 4 News content partner Petit Jean Country Headlight reveals new details about Donna Young's death. Three people are jailed on capital murder charges in the killing.
The newspaper reports that on Tuesday, Perry County Sheriff Scott Montgomery said he had learned suspect NIck Saunders had confessed to State Police he killed Young by stabbing her twice in the neck.
Sheriff Scott Montgomery said evidence at the scene indicated the killing took place outside the home on the carport.
The Petit Jean Country Headlight also reports that Perry County Chief Deputy Mike Surrett, on Friday, recovered some items stolen from Young at a residence at 507 Pine Street in Perryville where Ward was staying. They included a bag full of keys, a set of knives, a deer knife and some silverware sets.
Sheriff Montgomery said the murder weapon may be one of the items recovered.
The newspaper reports that suspect Dale Young is Donna Young's stepson as well as her son-in-law. Donna Young married Dale's father, then later Dale married Donna's daughter, Tammy, and all three were living in the home.
Both Tammy Young and Dale Young took polygraph tests, the newspaper reports, saying further that Tammy passed the test while Dale did not.
After Young failed a polygraph test, all three confessed to playing a part in her death, but none confessed to the actual murder, each blaming the other, the sheriff said.
The body appeared to have been dumped on the north side of Stoney Point Road, where it was either dragged or rolled about 43 feet down a steep ravine. The body, partially decomposed, was clothed in a shirt and pajama bottoms, the sheriff said.
The sheriff's office says deputies have responded to disturbances at the residence several times. On one occasion Dale Young reported his truck had been shot up by a another family member, but officers found no evidence to back up the claim. The sheriff said Saunders was recently arrested at a roadblock and cited for having a suspended license and drinking on the highway.
Update (July 20, 3:50 p.m.):
The Perry County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) tells KARK 4 News that Dale Young, 55, Nick Saunders, 36, and Melissa Ward, 28, have all been charged with capital murder in the death of Donna Lynn Young, 61.
Update (July 20, 12:30 p.m.):
The Perry County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) tells KARK 4 News that three people are in custody in the case but have not yet been charged.
The PCSO revealed more information in a news release this afternoon.
The release stated that Young's remains were found late Thursday after a man named Nick Saunders told deputies where he dumped her body.
It's not yet known how she died, and Young's body is at the State Crime Lab for an autopsy.
The news release also states that Young was reported missing by her daughter, Tammy Young, on Tuesday night.
The PCSO says that Tammy Young's husband Dale Young told deputies he last saw his mother-in-law early Tuesday morning. He said she was sitting in her recliner waiting for a friend to pick her up for a medical appointment in Little Rock.
Young said he was there with Saunders and a woman named Melissa Ward, who could verify that his mother-in-law was there at that time.
Tammy Young told deputies she had left the night before and stayed overnight with a friend.
Melanie Yates, the friend who was scheduled to pickup Donna Young Tuesday morning told deputies she called Young's cell phone at 4:45 a.m. to wake her up but got no answer. When Yates arrived at Young's home a short time later, she could not find her, the news release said, noting that she found Young's bedroom door locked. Yates then left and then called Tammy Young, who told her she had not seen her mother. That afternoon, Yates notified the PCSO.
On Thursday, an Arkansas State Police investigator was called in to help with the investigation and conducted another search of the area around Young's home. About 20 law enforcement officers and some volunteers assisted in the search down to the Arkansas River behind Young's house but found no sign of the missing woman.
On Wednesday, Tammy Young and Dale Young requested a polygraph test to "clear their name," the PCSO said. The tests were done on Thursday but results have not been released.
Also on Thursday, during an interview with investigators, Saunders took them to Young's body. When officers found sunglasses laying nearby, Saunders said they were probably his.
Update (July 20, 8:00 a.m.):
The Perry County Sheriff's Office says Donna Young was found dead yesterday on Stoney Point Road, not far from her home.
No other details yet available.
Original story (July 19):
A search is underway for a missing woman in Perry County.
Donna Lynn Young, 61, was last seen at her home in Houston on Havard Lane.
The Perry County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) is asking for the community's help in finding Young.
The PCSO says she is considered at risk due to the fact she has to take medication which she does not have with her.
Young is described as being 5'7" tall and weighing about 165 pounds.
She was last seen wearing light blue pajama pants with dark blue starbursts on them and a white t-shirt.
Anyone with information on Young's whereabouts of Donna Young is urged to contact the Perry County Sheriff's Office at (501) 889-3309, the Perry County Detention Center at (501) 889-2333, or Investigator Mike Surrett at (501) 889-8812.
KARK 4 News content partner Petit Jean Country Headlight reveals new details about Donna Young's death. Three people are jailed on capital murder charges in the killing.
The newspaper reports that on Tuesday, Perry County Sheriff Scott Montgomery said he had learned suspect NIck Saunders had confessed to State Police he killed Young by stabbing her twice in the neck.
Sheriff Scott Montgomery said evidence at the scene indicated the killing took place outside the home on the carport.
The Petit Jean Country Headlight also reports that Perry County Chief Deputy Mike Surrett, on Friday, recovered some items stolen from Young at a residence at 507 Pine Street in Perryville where Ward was staying. They included a bag full of keys, a set of knives, a deer knife and some silverware sets.
Sheriff Montgomery said the murder weapon may be one of the items recovered.
The newspaper reports that suspect Dale Young is Donna Young's stepson as well as her son-in-law. Donna Young married Dale's father, then later Dale married Donna's daughter, Tammy, and all three were living in the home.
Both Tammy Young and Dale Young took polygraph tests, the newspaper reports, saying further that Tammy passed the test while Dale did not.
After Young failed a polygraph test, all three confessed to playing a part in her death, but none confessed to the actual murder, each blaming the other, the sheriff said.
The body appeared to have been dumped on the north side of Stoney Point Road, where it was either dragged or rolled about 43 feet down a steep ravine. The body, partially decomposed, was clothed in a shirt and pajama bottoms, the sheriff said.
The sheriff's office says deputies have responded to disturbances at the residence several times. On one occasion Dale Young reported his truck had been shot up by a another family member, but officers found no evidence to back up the claim. The sheriff said Saunders was recently arrested at a roadblock and cited for having a suspended license and drinking on the highway.
Update (July 20, 3:50 p.m.):
The Perry County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) tells KARK 4 News that Dale Young, 55, Nick Saunders, 36, and Melissa Ward, 28, have all been charged with capital murder in the death of Donna Lynn Young, 61.
Update (July 20, 12:30 p.m.):
The Perry County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) tells KARK 4 News that three people are in custody in the case but have not yet been charged.
The PCSO revealed more information in a news release this afternoon.
The release stated that Young's remains were found late Thursday after a man named Nick Saunders told deputies where he dumped her body.
It's not yet known how she died, and Young's body is at the State Crime Lab for an autopsy.
The news release also states that Young was reported missing by her daughter, Tammy Young, on Tuesday night.
The PCSO says that Tammy Young's husband Dale Young told deputies he last saw his mother-in-law early Tuesday morning. He said she was sitting in her recliner waiting for a friend to pick her up for a medical appointment in Little Rock.
Young said he was there with Saunders and a woman named Melissa Ward, who could verify that his mother-in-law was there at that time.
Tammy Young told deputies she had left the night before and stayed overnight with a friend.
Melanie Yates, the friend who was scheduled to pickup Donna Young Tuesday morning told deputies she called Young's cell phone at 4:45 a.m. to wake her up but got no answer. When Yates arrived at Young's home a short time later, she could not find her, the news release said, noting that she found Young's bedroom door locked. Yates then left and then called Tammy Young, who told her she had not seen her mother. That afternoon, Yates notified the PCSO.
On Thursday, an Arkansas State Police investigator was called in to help with the investigation and conducted another search of the area around Young's home. About 20 law enforcement officers and some volunteers assisted in the search down to the Arkansas River behind Young's house but found no sign of the missing woman.
On Wednesday, Tammy Young and Dale Young requested a polygraph test to "clear their name," the PCSO said. The tests were done on Thursday but results have not been released.
Also on Thursday, during an interview with investigators, Saunders took them to Young's body. When officers found sunglasses laying nearby, Saunders said they were probably his.
Update (July 20, 8:00 a.m.):
The Perry County Sheriff's Office says Donna Young was found dead yesterday on Stoney Point Road, not far from her home.
No other details yet available.
Original story (July 19):
A search is underway for a missing woman in Perry County.
Donna Lynn Young, 61, was last seen at her home in Houston on Havard Lane.
The Perry County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) is asking for the community's help in finding Young.
The PCSO says she is considered at risk due to the fact she has to take medication which she does not have with her.
Young is described as being 5'7" tall and weighing about 165 pounds.
She was last seen wearing light blue pajama pants with dark blue starbursts on them and a white t-shirt.
Anyone with information on Young's whereabouts of Donna Young is urged to contact the Perry County Sheriff's Office at (501) 889-3309, the Perry County Detention Center at (501) 889-2333, or Investigator Mike Surrett at (501) 889-8812.
Donna Young
Comments
That is just flat out cold cruel and monstrous, that these monster would want her out of the way so badly they murdered her in cold blood and people have the gull to accuse gays and veterans of being warped and a danger to society.. My condolences go out of those who loved her.
Roy G.
July 25, 2012 at 6:29 pm
Spell it with me ... M-E-T-H-....
Peter D.
July 20, 2012 at 5:12 pm
