FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A man has been arrested in connection to a murder in Fayetteville according to the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD).
The arrest happened on Wednesday, Feb. 7, around 1 p.m., according to FPD. Officials said they responded to a home in the 3100 block of East Huntsville Road in reference to a shooting that had happened "days prior," the release said.
When officials arrived, FPD said 32-year-old Zachary Clark came out "with his hands in the air."
Investigators say his wife called to report the shooting after she realized her husband didn't call the police.
Officials were able to speak to Clark who told police about "a guy that showed up" and showed them a black car "backed into the woods" that belonged to the victim. Clark explained to officials that he thought the victim was someone else and confessed to shooting him.
"I was in such a panic he's not in the car, I took him to the barn," Clark said to police. "I did the dumbest thing of my life."
Clark offered to show police where the body was and that's when police went to the barn and found a dead man "lying on a rotten mattress," the release said. The man is identified as 23-year-old Thomas McEnaney, according to the release. Clark told police he did not know the victim.
Officials arrested Clark for second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence and was transported to the Washington County Jail. He will be due in court on Feb. 8, a day after his arrest.
"They've cleared the scene out there in Huntsville, but as you can imagine, it's still early in the game on a, you know, investigation of this nature. And so they're still processing evidence," Sgt. Stephen Mauk said.
Officials say this is an active investigation.
"We're fortunate to live in a in a very safe community," Mauk said. "But obviously, you know, any type of community this size, you're going to, unfortunately, have events like this."
Mauk said McEnaney's family has been contacted.
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