CRAWFORD COUNTY (KFSM) – A Cedarville man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Monday morning (April 13), officials say.
Nathan Rotramel, 31, pleaded guilty to killing Brian Fisher, who was found shot near Cedarville on Aug. 2, 2014, according to authorities.
The convict was sentenced to 20 years in prison with an additional 10 years suspended, according to Crawford County Prosecutor Marc McCune. Fisher’s family was at the courthouse and said they were in agreement with the plea and sentence, McCune said.
Rotramel was arrested on Sept. 16, 2014, and later charged with second-degree murder.
Rotramel and Fisher had a complicated relationship, according to a Cedarville man named Jason Sargent who knew them both.
“[They were] friends one minute and not friends the next,” Sargent said. “There had been some feuding for several years.”
Court documents state Rotramel was at home watching TV, and when he saw Fisher outside yelling, “I am God,” he asked him to get off his property.
Rotramel is accused in court papers of shooting Fisher twice — once in the leg and once in the head. Fisher’s father, Montie, said his son had a bipolar disorder and suffered from anxiety.
“He had his problems, but he’d never intentionally hurt anything to my knowledge. He’s never hurt anybody on purpose,” Montie Fisher said. “He just wanted to stay up there on his hill by himself and be left alone. And he was my son.”
Rotramel was appointed a public attorney, according to Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney Marc McCune. A written notice acknowledging Rotramel’s arraignment was filed on Sept. 24. The next court date has not yet been set.
Fisher was found around 3 p.m. on Aug. 2 and taken to Mercy Hospital in Fort Smith, where he later died from his injuries. He was shot with a 22 caliber rifle.
