Authorities take former Scott City man into custody

Daily American Republic

CORNING, Ark. -- A 32-year-old Clay County woman was found dead from gunshot wounds on her front porch Sunday and a former Scott City man is in custody.

According to the Clay County sheriff's department, Kelly Denise Thatch's body was discovered on the front porch of her apartment in the Westwood Acres apartment building, located at 195 County Road 137 in Corning.

Investigators believe Thatch was killed with a .22 caliber rifle.

The sheriff's department said a rifle believed to be the murder weapon had been recovered.

According to officials, enough evidence was obtained early in the investigation to take 42-year-old James Dallas Qualls into custody Sunday morning. Qualls lived in the same apartment building as Thatch and is a former resident of Scott City.

The victim and Qualls' estranged wife, Jacqueline Qualls, were friends, and according to Sheriff Ronnie Cole, a running argument had developed between the victim and the suspect over his wife.

Qualls is being held in the Clay County Detention Center in Piggott, Ark., pending arraignment.

The sheriff's department expects a probable cause hearing will be held soon to set bond.

"At that time it will be asked that the bond be set on the charge of capital murder," the sheriff's department statement read.

However, Cole emphasized that his department and other law enforcement agencies are still investigating what has become Clay County's first murder of 2003.

"We're still interviewing people," Cole said.

Cole added that his county often has years that see no murders.

Officers with the Clay County Sheriff's Department, Arkansas State Police along with the Corning Police Department and the Clay County Coroner were on the scene to assist with the investigation.