An El Dorado man was fatally wounded in what is believed to be a home invasion that occurred Sunday night in the Murmil Heights neighborhood.
At 9:12 p.m., the El Dorado Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at 2308 Helena St. and upon arrival, they found Xavier Q. Thrower, 25, lying motionless on his stomach with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the stomach.
An ambulance was summoned to the scene and Thrower was pronounced dead a short time later, police said.
Lt. Andrew Russell, public information officer for the EPD, said Thrower’s body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for an autopsy.
According to a press release from the EPD, “There are persons of interest, but no names can be released at this time … the incident is currently under investigation.”
Police said the glass was shattered in a storm door underneath the carport when they arrived at the Helena Street residence.
When asked about a possible motive in the case, Russell replied, “We’re not 100% sure. It could be robbery. They did take a woman’s purse that was in the house.”
Russell said a woman who was inside the residence at the time said that when a male broke into the residence and shots were fired, she ran from a bedroom into the bathroom.
Once inside the bathroom, the woman said she was able to use her cellphone to call 911 but the suspect pushed the door open and demanded the woman’s purse.
“She fell and the phone flew from her hand. He shot the phone and he grabbed her purse and ran out,” Russell said.
While en route to the scene in response to the initial report of shots fired, officers received word from 911 dispatchers that a woman, presumably the woman from the Lakeland residence, was knocking on a neighbor’s door, asking for help.
Police said Thrower was lying in the doorway that led from the dining room to the kitchen inside the residence at 2308 Helena.
Russell said only one suspect is believed to have entered the residence.
When asked if the woman recognized the suspect or provided a description, Russell said, “I can’t release any of that just yet,” adding that he did not know the relationship between Thrower and the woman.
He said investigation is ongoing.
Thrower’s death marks the second homicide to occur in El Dorado this year.
Police are still investigating the shooting death of 36-year-old Rodney J. Hart Sr., who was found Jan. 30 lying in the yard of his residence in the 500 block of Cooper Drive.
Hart died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Officers responded at 1:16 a.m. to a report of shots fired in the area and while en route, they received a second call confirming there was a victim in the shooting.
No arrests have been made in the case.
Police are urging anyone information about either homicide to call the EPD Criminal Investigative Division at 870-881-4810 or Crime Stoppers at 870-863-INFO (4636).