Posey Enters Guilty Plea for Shooting

RISON - Travis "Joey" Posey, 45, of New Edinburg, pleaded guilty Monday to four counts of capital murder and 11 counts of attempted capital murder related to the June 21, 2024, mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce.As a result of the plea agreement, Posey will serve life without the possibility of parole for the four capital murder charges, and 20 year sentences for each of the 11 attempted capital murder charges. Posey entered the guilty plea Monday morning in Ouachita County Circuit Court at Camden before 13th Judicial District Judge Spencer Singleton. Posey originally pleaded innocent in his first court appearance on June 25, 2024.The prosecution was led by 13th Judicial District Prosecutor Jeff Rogers. Posey was represented by three public defenders, including Gregg Parrish, executive director of the Arkansas Public Defender Commission, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.Rogers told the Democrat-Gazette that he left it up to JudgeSingleton as to whether Posey should serve the sentences concurrently or consecutively. Singleton set a sentencing hearing for Aug. 4.Two of the four shooting fatalities were Cleveland County residents:Callie Weems, 23, and Roy Sturgis, 50, both of Kingsland. The other two victims wereEllen Shrum, 81, and Shirley Taylor, 62, both of Fordyce.The attempted capital murder charges were filed for each individual injured or targeted in the gunfire. Those were James RyanJohnson, Sharon Rose Brazil, Thomas Brazil, Brittney Sullivent, Demaria Cooper, Kasey Harbour, Latoya Allen, Silas Compton, Jacqueline Curb, Ronald Clayton and Judy Clayton. The Claytons, formerly of Rison, had their car shot at while entering the Mad Butcher parking lot but neither was injured.Capital murder is a Class Y felony punishable by life imprisonment without parole or the death penalty. Attempted capital murder is also a Class Y felony punishable by n...