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Memphis News Crew Threatened with Gun in Arkansas

WREG’s April Thompson showed up at Wilton Goodeaux III’s home hoping to find some answers about his death. What she found shocked her.

WREG's April Thompson reporting

(Joiner, Arkansas) WREG's April Thompson showed up at Wilton Goodeaux II's home hoping to find some answers about his death.

With his son and two others in jail, we knew it was likely no one would answer. But what happened next left her shocked. A speeding truck screeched to a stop as photographer Ben Short's camera was rolling. An angry young man jumped out .

He yelled for the crew to leave.  They told him they were just trying to find out information.  The man got angry and hit our camera.

When we told him he can't touch our camera, he said, 'I bet I can do this.'

He then ran angrily got back to his truck, reached in and pulled out a handgun, clearly showing his intentions. The crew moved back to our station truck in disbelief.

The man sped away. But we were far from done.

The gun incident is serious. We called the Mississippi County, Arkansas  Sheriff's Department. First one deputy showed up to look at our video, then several department officials.

They took our statements to file charges. Officers are familiar with the gun brandishing man. They said he's Brandon Odom. He is friends with Wilton Goudeaux's son.

Mary Odom, who is also in jail, is Goudeaux's caretaker and Brandon Odom's sister.

The accusations against the three in jail include giving the elderly Goudeaux sleeping pills, using meth while caring for him, taking around 100-thousand dollars of his money  and leaving him malnourished.

"There were some allegations his life had been threatened. They withheld food, "says Captain Larry Robinson with the Mississippi County Arkansas Sheriff's Department.

But apparently Brandon Odom doesn't want anyone looking into what happened.

Now his gun wielding methods will have him behind bars with his friends.

"What I viewed on your camera is aggravated assault. A Class D Felony," says Robinson.

We are following through with charges. There is much more to this case. The Police Chief in Joiner is also under investigation. The Mayor tells us it has something to do with whether he failed to report some information in Wilton Goudeaux's death.

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