A 30-year-old man is dead and a 77-year-old Saline County man is behind bars on a capital murder charge after deputies say he shot his neighbor and fled before they arrived. Troy Hendrix was found suffering a gunshot wound in the 700 block of Martin Road and was pronounced dead there, according to authorities.
Deputies responded to the call around 4 p.m. Friday and found Hendrix already down at the scene, according to The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The report said Hendrix had a gunshot wound and Johnson fled before deputies arrived. Deputies located Johnson a short distance away and took him into custody before he could get far.
The Democrat-Gazette identified Johnson as 77 years old. Johnson was being held at the Saline County jail as of Saturday with no bond set, according to the same Democrat-Gazette account.
A Newlywed's Life Cut Short
Hendrix's Life Cut Short The Saline County Sheriff's Office reported Johnson's charges in a news release, listing capital murder, committing a terroristic act, driving while intoxicated, and endangering the welfare of a minor.
Johnson also faces an endangering-the-welfare-of-a-minor charge. The DWI charge is also among those listed against Johnson; Arkansas DWI penalties vary by offense and prior convictions, according to Rhodes Criminal Law's breakdown of Arkansas statutes.
What Johnson Could Face in Court
Capital murder is the most severe charge under Arkansas law.
A Rare Act of Violence in a Low-Crime County
Violent Crime in Saline County The shooting occurred on Martin Road in Saline County. Saline County recorded a violent crime rate of roughly 305 offenses per 100,000 residents in 2026, placing it among the lowest quarter of Arkansas counties measured on the page and well below the statewide average of 626 per 100,000, according to Resideline.
