AR - Sydney Sutherland, 25, Jackson Co, went for a jog, 19 Aug 2020 *MEDIA,MAPS,TIMELINE NO DISCUSS

[Samurai_Cop]

JACKSON COUNTY, Ark.— Runners across Arkansas are keeping the memory of Sydney Sutherland alive after she went for a jog last Wednesday and never came home.

Her body was found two days later after police say she was kidnapped and killed.

Sutherland’s friends are now running and posting to social media using the hashtag ‘#FinishSydneysRun’ to keep her memory alive.

“I literally would just replay over and over again in my mind Sydney didn’t get to finish this,” said Danielle Wright.

Wright grew up with Sutherland and her family. She says she is going the extra mile to honor the nurse who loved a lot of things, including running.

‘Finish Sydney’s Run’ challenge takes to social media honoring Sydney Sutherland | KARK

 

[Seattle1]

Friends: Woman's slaying is madness

Sept 6, 2020

NEWPORT -- Sydney Sutherland had a delicate touch and a strong backbone.

"She was a petite, little thing, but she was spunky," said La Donna Johnston, who worked with Sutherland. "She had the most beautiful smile. It was very inviting."

[..]

A standout beauty, Sutherland had a reputation for having an unwavering devotion to her patients. She was at her best caring for the elderly, her colleagues said.

Everyone who knew her well expected a long, happy career for her.

[..]

Authorities said Sutherland was out for a walk, or possibly a run, the afternoon of Aug. 19 along Arkansas 18, when she was abducted and killed. Her body was found the next day a short distance from her Newport-area home. The suspect in her death, Quake Lewellyn, 28, is charged with capital murder, rape and kidnapping.

The lead agencies in the investigation of her death are the Jackson County sheriff's office and the Arkansas State Police. Bill Sadler, an Arkansas State Police spokesman, wouldn't comment on the investigation.

[..]

Authorities said Lewellyn admitted to killing Sutherland after he was taken in for questioning. Lucas said Lewellyn reportedly saw Sutherland when he drove by in his truck. At one point, he doubled back, got out of the truck and attacked her, according to reports.

"That's our understanding," Lucas said.

[..]

SMALL-TOWN GIRL

Sutherland grew up in Tuckerman, a small town in Jackson County with a population of less than 1,700.

[..]

"She was such a hard worker. She never sat down."

Johnston, who is the hospital's administrator, said counseling services are being offered to the hospital staff.

Lucas said he has been actively involved in the investigation, along with two of his major cases detectives and the Arkansas State Police.

It has been a difficult two weeks for Lucas, who has been the sheriff in Jackson County for 16 years.

"I knew her, and I know her family," Lucas said. He described her as a "young, vibrant lady" who was well-liked by everyone.

[..]

THE INVESTIGATION

The case remains in its early stages, investigators and attorneys have said.

Henry Boyce, the Jackson County prosecutor, did not respond to messages left with his assistant last week.

Bill James, a Little Rock attorney, is representing Lewellyn. He said Friday that he has not seen any paperwork on the case since being assigned to it last week.

"I don't have anything yet," James said. "We're just now getting into it."

The only document he has seen with his client's name on it is the form submitted via the state Public Defender Commission, he said.

As of Friday, the Jackson County circuit clerk's office did not have any of the case records on file, including Lewellyn's arrest affidavit.

[..]

Court records show that Lewellyn has no felony convictions, and Lucas said that as far as he knows Lewellyn has no history of violence.

 

[Seattle1]

Friends: Woman's slaying is madness

Sept 6, 2020

Several agencies were called to Jackson County after news broke of Sutherland's disappearance. One of the agencies "most crucial" in locating Sutherland's body, Lucas said, was the National Child Protection Task Force, a nonprofit created to help law enforcement in human trafficking and missing persons cases.

The task force was founded in March 2019 in Northwest Arkansas by Kevin Metcalf, a deputy prosecutor in Washington County.

Metcalf, who has a military and law enforcement background, said the agency uses technology that many law enforcement departments don't have at their immediate disposal to track victims and suspects.

The last-known person to see Sutherland alive was a UPS driver who spotted her jogging midafternoon Aug. 19 near Arkansas 18 between Newport and Grubbs, Metcalf said.

Based on what the witness told authorities, Metcalf said he was able to pinpoint a location of where Sutherland could be and where anyone else could have encountered her.

"Using some of our tools and our expertise, we were able to determine someone else had come onto that route around that same time," Metcalf said. He declined to be more specific.

 

[Seattle1]

Medical examiner: Sydney Sutherland died of blunt force trauma.

Sept 10, 2020

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The state medical examiner has found 25-year-old Sydney Sutherland's cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries.

Sutherland was found dead near her home in Newport last month days after she went missing while jogging. The Jackson County Sheriff said Thursday the full autopsy report has not been completed and there will be no more updates until it
is.

Arkansas State Police special agent Mike McNeill said during a probable cause hearing last month that Lewellyn saw Sutherland walking on County Road 41, turned his truck around and forced Sutherland into the back of the vehicle. McNeill said Lewellyn drove about three miles to a farm where he raped Sutherland, killed her and buried the body.

The medical examiner said the manner of death is considered a homicide.

 

[Seattle1]

UPDATE: Sydney Sutherland’s cause of death determined by medical examiner | KNWA FOX24

UPDATE: (September 10)

JACKSON COUNTY, Ark. — According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the State Medical Examiner has found the cause of death of Sydney Sutherland was multiple blunt force injuries. The manner of death is homicide.

 

[Seattle1]

UPDATE: Sydney Sutherland's cause of death determined by medical examiner

 

[Jo in Calif]

“It was a really devastating loss. And so coming together to, instead of mourning her death, but celebrating her life is a huge thing. That’s what today is really about. Her family is here. Her friends are here. Her co-workers are here, and people who didn’t know her but yet were impacted by her just from hearing about her after her death,” said Kyndale Honey, event volunteer.

The event was the second one in nearly a month that Tuckerman residents hosted in memory of Sutherland.

Friends, family gather to raise money for Sydney Sutherland memorial scholarship

 

[Seattle1]

Friends, family gather to raise money for Sydney Sutherland memorial scholarship

Sept 20, 2020

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Hundreds of people gathered in Tuckerman to celebrate the life of Sydney Sutherland on Saturday and to raise funds for the Sydney Sutherland Memorial Scholarship, reported KATV content partner KAIT8.

Sutherland went missing and her body was found a little over a month ago. She would have turned 25 Friday and the Tuckerman community celebrated by having a community-wide birthday party.

According to the TV station, Sutherland went to high school in Tuckerman. During the event, and her childhood neighborhood was decked out in pink.

The community held a race that was followed by a fundraiser event. Family and friends described how the community came together to show their support.

 

[rainynights]

Developing: New details released in Jackson County murder case | KARK
Posted: Oct 16, 2020 / 07:55 PM CDT / Updated: Oct 16, 2020 / 09:12 PM CDT

NEWPORT, Ark. — Authorities have released more details regarding the investigation into the death of a young woman killed in Jackson County.

A probable cause affidavit has been filed in the case detailing the charges against Quake Lewellyn.

[...]

 

[Seattle1]

Court records on alleged killer released in Sydney Sutherland case

Oct 16, 2020

Quake Lewellyn, 28, was arrested in August on suspicion of kidnapping and abuse of a corpse in the case.

[..]

Police said in the affidavit that Lewellyn saw Sutherland running on County Road 41 before she disappeared and that a search of his phone netted evidence in the case.

“During a consent search of Quake Lewellyn’s phone, agents located a location services application that tracks the phone’s geographical location. Approximately an hour after Sutherland was discovered missing, Lewellyn’s location services application indicated that he was at a geographical location approximately 2.36 miles from where Sutherland’s phone was located,” the affidavit said.

[..]

Sutherland’s body was found Aug. 21, just yards from where the app indicated where Lewellyn was, authorities said in the affidavit.

[..]

“Lewellyn stated that he struck Sutherland with his vehicle. Lewellyn stated he then loaded Sutherland up into his pickup and transported her to the area indicated on the location services application,” the affidavit said.

 

[Seattle1]

Affidavit: Killer struck Sydney Sutherland with truck, raped her

Oct 16, 2020

Sydney Sutherland's killer struck her with a pickup while she was jogging along a rural road and later raped her and buried her near a rural highway outside Newport, according to recently filed court documents.

The suspect, Quake Lewellyn, 28, is awaiting trial on charges of capital murder, rape, kidnapping and abuse of a corpse. He remains jailed without bail, and he is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 29.

 

[Seattle1]

Details released in killing of jogger Sydney Sutherland

Oct 17, 2020

Jackson County Sheriff David Lucas said last month that Lewellyn saw Sutherland jogging as he drove by, made a U-turn and then attacked her. Lucas also said it was his understanding that Lewellyn and Sutherland knew each other, but not "particularly well."

A message left Friday with Lucas was not returned.

Prosecutor Henry Boyce and Lewellyn's defense attorney Bill James also didn't return messages.

[..]

On Aug. 20, authorities found Sutherland's iPhone "in a field along Jackson County Road 41 South," located about 1.3 miles from her home, according to the affidavit.

One day after locating the victim's phone, authorities in Jackson announced they had discovered Sutherland's body in a deserted field and had arrested Lewellyn.

Creston Hutton, a senior special agent with the Arkansas State Police who investigated the case, wrote in the affidavit that Sutherland's body was located after a "consent search" of the suspect's phone. The "location services application" on Lewellyn's phone led to the area where Sutherland was buried, Hutton wrote.

"Sutherland's deceased body was located just a few yards from where the location services application indicated Lewellyn's location," the affidavit stated.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

#BREAKING: Quake Lewellyn, suspect in #SydneySutherland case, pleads not guilty and asks for jury trial #ARNews
Mitchell McCoy


UPDATE: Arraignment hearing waived for man accused of kidnapping and killing woman, requests jury trial | KLRT - FOX16.com
UPDATE:

NEWPORT, Ark.- Quake Lewellyn’s attorney turned in paperwork Thursday morning that waives his arraignment hearing.

Lewellyn pleaded not guilty to capital murder, kidnapping, rape and abuse of a corpse in connection to the death of Sydney Sutherland.

ORIGINAL STORY:

Quake Lewellyn’s hearing is now scheduled for February 16, 2021.

 

[Seattle1]

Mitchell McCoy[URL='https://twitter.com/MitchellMcCoy']@MitchellMcCoy[/URL]

#UPDATE: Plea and arraignment for man accused of kidnapping, killing Arkansas woman continued #ARNews #SydneySutherland



UPDATE: Plea and arraignment for man accused of kidnapping, killing Arkansas woman continued
NEWPORT, Ark.- The plea and arraignment hearing for a man accused of kidnapping and killing a woman who was jogging has been continued. Quake Lewellyn’s hearing is now scheduled for February …
kark.com
7:36 AM · Oct 29, 2020

 

[Seattle1]

UPDATE: Arraignment hearing waived for man accused of kidnapping and killing woman, requests jury trial | KLRT - FOX16.com

10/29/20

UPDATE:

NEWPORT, Ark.- Quake Lewellyn’s attorney turned in paperwork Thursday morning that waives his arraignment hearing.

Lewellyn pleaded not guilty to capital murder, kidnapping, rape and abuse of a corpse in connection to the death of Sydney Sutherland.

Public defender Bill James was assigned to the case and is asking for a jury trial. He said there are a lot of rumors surrounding the case.

[..]

According to search warrant affidavits, Quake Lewellyn was known to be the last person who saw Sutherland alive August 19th on County Road 41. During the investigation, he was developed as a suspect. August 21st, after her body was found, he was taken into questioning where State Police say he confessed to running her over with his truck, raping her then burying her body. That confession is yet to be seen by James.

“Any statements made by your client are going to be something that have to be dealt with,” James said.

Along with the confession, State Police used an app on Lewellyn’s phone that tracks his location. Sutherland’s body was located just yards from where app said Lewellyn was.

Police found shoe prints near where her body was found. The affidavit shows the shoes he was wearing during the time of his arrest did not match.

Also laid out in one of the search warrant affidavits, his mother Kerry Lewellyn called law enforcement one day after her son’s arrest about a surveillance video they needed to see. In the document, it says Kerry and Lewellyn’s wife Gracie pointed out a dent on the hood of his truck that wasn’t there when he left the morning Sutherland went missing. investigators also noticed in the video Lewellyn wearing shoes they believe matched the shoe prints. In a search warrant, those shoes were found in his home.

 

[Seattle1]

Jonesboro man accused in rape, death says innocent

Oct 30, 2020

[..]

Lewellyn told investigators that he ran over Sutherland with his pickup, drove her to a nearby field, had sexual intercourse with her on the tailgate of his truck, used a shovel to dig a hole and placed her body in the hole, according to police records.

The clothes Lewellyn was wearing also were confiscated during the search of his house, according to an affidavit.

Lewellyn is charged with capital murder, which means he could face the death penalty if convicted. James said no one from the prosecutor's office has told him whether the death penalty will be pursued.

In addition to being charged with capital murder, rape and kidnapping, Lewellyn was charged with one count of abuse of a corpse.

Lewellyn remains behind bars without bail at the Randolph County jail. He was transferred out of the Jackson County jail for safety reasons, authorities said.

James said Thursday that there was no reason for Lewellyn to appear in court for his arraignment, especially considering he is being jailed 60 miles from the courthouse.

"He's being held up in Pocahontas, and there was no reason to drag him down to say that he is not guilty," James said.

 

[Seattle1]

Truck driver, 28, DENIES running down Arkansas jogger Sydney Sutherland before raping and killing her

10/30/2020

[..]

The 28-year-old initially told state police that he mowed the 25-year-old nurse down, drove her to a nearby field, then raped her on the tailgate of his truck, according to an affidavit released on October 16.

After the rape, he said he used a shovel to dig a hole, then dumped Sutherland's body in it and buried her, police records obtained by KATV show.

Lewellyn's attorney, Bill James, said he was concerned people were too focused on rumors instead of allowing the trial to play out.

"Everyone is so anxious for information on this case, and it seems that whatever is being said about it is getting printed," the attorney said.

The state medical examiner determined the young nurse had died from multiple blunt force injuries.

Lewellyn's mother, Kerry, handed over security footage from her home to the police, according to KATV.

His wife, who reportedly filed for divorce last month, helped detectives review the footage and pointed out a dent in her husband's truck that showed up the day Sutherland disappeared.

 

[Seattle1]

ORDER OF CONTINUANCE & SCHEDULING ORDER:

Oct 29, 2020, continued and rescheduled for Trial on April 21, 2021 with a motion and plea day on Feb 16, 2021.

More docs at the court link below.

Docket Report Results - Not an Official Document

 

[oviedo]

Sydney Sutherland’s accused killer ran jogger over with his truck, then raped her — when she was already dying, possibly dead: Docs
Snipped
by Ellen Killora
November 5, 2020
“He is a monster, an evil monster,” Sydney’s mother said. “She did not deserve any of that.”
The man accused of killing Sydney Sutherland reportedly rammed her with his truck before loading her body onto the vehicle, driving to another location where he raped and buried her.

The new details about the Arkansas woman’s senseless, brutal murder raise possible questions about whether the 25-year-old woman was alive or conscious while she was being sexually assaulted.

more at link

 

[oviedo]

Defense Wants Mental Health Evaluation for Alleged Murderer of Arkansas Jogger Sydney Sutherland

Additional link


In documents obtained by Law&Crime, Attorney William O. James Jr. wrote that he had “reason to believe that due to mental disease or defect, Mr. Lewellyn may not fully understand the proceedings against him, and may not have been able to fully appreciate the criminality of the conduct with which he is accused and his ability to assist in his defense may be in question.”

The defense requested an evaluation to determine Lewellyn’s “fitness to proceed” and his criminal responsibility. This request also includes testing for “mental retardation.”