PEA RIDGE — The third person sought in connection with a home invasion near Pea Ridge is in custody, according to Benton County authorities.
Members of the Benton County Sheriff ’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and Rogers police captured Christopher Thomas Austin at a house in Rogers Tuesday, Aug. 3.
Austin was being held in the Benton County Jail awaiting a bond hearing. He was being held in connection with aggravated robbery, possession of firearms by certain persons, theft of property and revocation of a suspended sentence or probation, all felonies, and failure to appear and unauthorized use of a vehicle, both misdemeanors.
Sheriff ’s deputies responded to a call at 15523 Mariano Road in the Pea Ridge area Monday, Aug. 2.
The owner of the home was away, but a caretakerreported two men and a woman broke into the residence, held the caretaker at gunpoint and stole guns and other items, according to the release.
Cody Shane DeShields, 21, of 13 Holly Drive in Bella Vista and Whitney Michelle Lane, 23, of 805 S.W. Crystal St. in Bentonville were arrested previously in connection with the incident.
The hunt for Austin began after deputies received a call of a shooting victim in Centerton, according to a news release. Police later learned the shooting victim was DeShields, a suspect in the home invasion.
DeShields told police he was shot playing basketball.
He was treated at a local hospital, then arrested. Lane was with DeShields at the time of the arrest.
Sydoriak said investigators determined Austin accidentally shot DeShields on the ride from Pea Ridge to Centerton.
On the Record, Pages 3 on 08/11/2010