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Matthew Earl Speakman beat Jason Anderson to death with a hammer, deputies said. (Mugshot: Independence County Jail)
An Arkansas man beat another to death with a hammer and left his body in the bathtub because he claims the victim was trying to “seduce” him, police said.
Matthew Earl Speakman, 19, is charged with murder in the first degree, theft of property, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Independence County Jail back on May 17, but authorities formally filed charges on Tuesday.
On May 17, Speakman allegedly got into an accident driving the 2009 Nissan Murano belonging to the victim, Jason Anderson, 49, according to the arrest affidavit. Law enforcement at the time could not reach the owner at his home or by phone, documents stated.
Later, however, a “hysterical” woman called authorities to say that Anderson was dead and she believed he had been killed because his vehicle was missing. Deputies got information about Speakman’s crash while on the way to the murder scene in the town of Sulphur Rock. At the time, they found Anderson dead in a bathtub with the water still running, they said.
“Deputies began to further investigate the crime scene noticing blood cast off on the shower wall and bloody shoeprints on the floor of the living area coming from the bathroom area,” they wrote.
The victim had injuries to his head.
“Upon removing the deceased from the bathtub, deputies located a hammer, hammer handle, and three (3) large rocks within the bathtub,” they wrote.
A deputy found Speakman later that day in Sulphur Rock and found a meth smoking device on him with residue, documents said.
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“During the course of contact, Speakman offered for the deputy to check his shoes for contraband,” they wrote. “The deputy did check the shoes and noticed them to have the pattern of the bloody shoeprints found inside the residence of the deceased.”
Speakman agreed to speak to investigators about the smoking device and his use of Anderson’s Nissan Murano, documents stated.
After filling out a statement of rights, he allegedly admitted taking the meth smoking device from Anderson’s vehicle. Investigators said they confronted him about the dead man and Speakman’s shoeprints being there in the victim’s home.
“Y’all need the truth, don’t y’all,” Speakman allegedly said.
From the affidavit:
Speakman stated the victim was nude trying to seduce him into sex and he found a hammer on the coffee table and struck him in the head at least four (4) times and one time with a large set of rocks. Speakman stated he struck the victim one time in the head in the living area and the rest of the strikes took place after the victim crawled to the bathtub and was inside the bathtub. Speakman stated he was defending himself, but stated Anderson stopped fighting against him after only a couple strikes with the hammer and Speakman stated he continued to strike him in fear that he would try to have sex with him anyways. Speakman was asked if he ever thought about calling to get help for Anderson and he said he should have, but was afraid of jail and being in trouble.
Speakman’s bond is set at $1 million. He has not yet entered a plea and a hearing date has not been scheduled as of Wednesday morning.
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