NEOSHO, Mo. — Six days after he shot Darrell Bone three times, Danny K. Thomas appeared incourt for arraingment.

Clad in an orange jail uniform, the handcuffed, mediumstatured Thomas is charged with first degree murder in the death of his landlord, Pea Ridge native Darrell Bone.

A public defender was appointed to represent him on the first-degree murder charge, according to Newton County, Mo., prosecutor Jake Skouby. A pretrial conference is set for 9 a.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 9.

Thursday, 24 hours after being booked into the Newton County Jail, Thomas walked resignedly between two deputies back to hiscell after a second interview.

Bone - shot once in the back and twice in the face - was left lying in the back yard of Thomas’ residence while Thomas drove around all night Tuesday, July26, “thinking about what he had done,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

Bone, 54, a Rogers businessman who lived in Rocky Comfort, Mo., had gone to talk to Thomas onTuesday, according to the affidavit, to tell Thomas to move out as he had sold the farm. The 110-acre farm had been sold by Bone to a farmer in Pea Ridge.

Thomas, 60, of Stella, Mo., is in jail in lieu of a $500,000 cash-only bond on first-degree murder and armed criminal action charges.

Thomas turned himself in about 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 27 - 12 hours after he says he shot Bone because he said he “was scared and felt threatened,” according to sheriff’s detective Randy Scott. “The suspect confessed the victim was not armed.”

Thomas said that after he shot Bone, he took the firearm with him and fled in Bone’s truck “in case he was pursued,” Scott said.

Although other vehicles were on the premises, Copeland said Thomas said they were not working.

Bone was not armed, nor were weapons found in Bone’s truck (other than the one in Thomas’ possession) or in the yard, Newton County Sheriff Ken Copeland said.

A loaded .357-caliber Rossi lever-action rifle was in Thomas’ possession in Bone’s truck, Copeland said, along with seven live rounds of .38 Special ammunition which were recovered from the rifle, one in the chamber and the remaining six in the magazine.

Copeland said that Wednesday morning Thomas went to the office of David Bunch, a probation and parole officer in Neosho, and told him he had shot Bone. Copeland said Thomas was not on probation, but simply knew Bunch.

Sheriff Copeland and Chief Deputy Chris Jennings went to the residence and found Bone lying in the backyard, Copeland said. He said some time later, Bone’s son arrived looking for him.

“It was reported to happen about 9 or 10 p.m.,” Copeland said. “There was one gunshot to the back and two to th eface.”

Thomas confessed to shooting Bone from about 20 feet away as Bone walked to his truck, Copeland said. Bone fell to the ground and then, as he attempted to rise, Thomas shot him twice in the face.

According to the affidavit, there was “stippling residue around” the wounds to the face.

Thomas admitted he did not attempt to contact emergency services or anyone else about the shooting, according to the affidavit.

“The family has been cooperative in interviews,” Copeland said. “We are extremely sympathetic to the family. It is quite evident it wasn’t self-defense as the suspect claims.”

Prosecutor Jake Skouby said he has yet to determine whether it will be a capital murder charge, with the death penalty - a decision he will make after conferring withthe victim’s family. Charges have been raised from seconddegree murder to first-degree murder which holds with it a sense of determination and could result in either a life sentence or death penalty.

DARRELL BONE

Darrell Bone, 54, a native of Pea Ridge and a 1975 graduate of Pea Ridge High School, owned several pieces of property in Pea Ridge, including the Napa building, as well as in McDonald and Newton counties in Missouri. His current address was Rocky Comfort, Mo.

He was co-owner of Automotive Solutions in Rogers with Kent Rylee. He was formerly the service manager at Pig Trail Harley-Davidson, Rogers.

“I’m really shocked,”Pea Ridge Mayor Jackie Crabtree said. “Darrell’s really going to be missed.

He was one of those guys you could always depend on. He was always up front and honest; you could depend on what he said.”

Crabtree said that although Bone had not been on a commission or board, he had helped the city with information on vehicle maintenance andinformation for vehicle bids.

“He was just the nicest guy,” Sandy Button, city recorder/treasurer, said of Bone. “He was always there for everybody.”

Bone’s sister, Debbra Evans of Seligman, Mo., said she was shocked and couldn’t imagine why anyone would hurt Bone saying he was “the nicest, most easy-going guy.”

News, Pages 1 on 08/03/2011