JONEBORO, Ark. — A man faces a litany of charges after he allegedly kidnapped and murdered a 90-year-old woman, then abused her corpse.
Richard Jordon Tarver, 30, of Bay, stands accused of abducting and killing Lavinda Counce, also of Bay.
Counce went missing from her house July 3, the Craighead County Sheriff’s Department said. Her car was found in Jonesboro the next day.
A volunteer searcher found her body July 12 in a cornfield near Craighead County Road 607.
Surveillance video helped investigators identify a person of interest. Officers arrested Tarver on July 17 after executing a search warrant.
Prosecutors charged Tarver on Thursday with capital murder, aggravated robbery, kidnapping, aggravated residential burglary, abuse of a corpse, theft of property and possession of a defaced firearm.
The abuse of a corpse charges relate to Tarver allegedly leaving the dead body in the cornfield for nine days.
Tarver is being held in the Craighead County Detention Center.
