Top stories in Northwest Arkansas, River Valley for 2022

Josh Duggar's trial ended with a guilty verdict in December of 2021, but he wasn't sentenced for his crimes until May 25, 2022. 

In December 2021, the former reality TV star was found guilty of downloading and possessing child pornography. At that time he was immediately taken into custody until his sentencing date. 

In January 2022, Duggar's attorney's sought a new trial or acquittal arguing that prosecutors failed to present evidence that the former “19 Kids and Counting” star “knew that the visual depictions were of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct,” which they say is a necessary element for a conviction. 

With the acquittal still pending in federal court, Duggar's attorney's asked to push back his April 5 sentencing date citing COVID-19 restrictions made it difficult to meet with Duggar. 

With his sentencing pushed back, Duggar's attorney's made a final plea of his character in May of 2022 saying he has lived an "admirable life" and should not be sentenced "greater than necessary."

His defense team submitted the documents to the judge and multiple letters from people within the community giving him a recommendation of character.

On May 25, Duggar was sentenced to 12 and a half years in federal prison on one count of receiving child pornography. 

On August 21, 2022, bystanders captured video of two Crawford County Deputies and a Mulberry Police Officer holding a man down on the ground, kneeling on him and slamming his face to the ground.

The video of the violent arrest caused a backlash when it went viral online.

The man, Randal Worcester, is now facing six charges related to the incident that day, including battery and resisting arrest.

Deputy Zack King, corporal Levi White, and Mulberry officer Thell Riddle were suspended after the video came to light and Worcester filed a federal lawsuit against the officers and local officials.

The two deputies were fired more than a month after the investigation into the incident was launched.

Officer Riddle also involved in the investigation is still on administrative leave.

The special prosecutor requested to look into whether charges would be filed against Worcester, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Denis Dean, filed the charges against Worcester on Dec. 1.  

Republican Sarah Huckabee Sanders made history in November 2022 as she will become Arkansas' first female governor.

She won the 2022 election to become the 47th Arkansas Governor, beating out Democrat Chris Jones and Libertarian Ricky Dale Harrington.

Spokesperson for Sanders, Judd Deere, explained to our content partners KTHV that "With this being Arkansas’ first Republican to-Republican gubernatorial transition, the two agreed that it presents incredible opportunities to continue to move the state forward and unleash new, bold reforms."  

Hammerhead worms are not new to the Natural State, but a rise in sightings in July 2022 lead to several questions about the invasive species.

Experts with the University of Arkansas (U of A) System Division of Agriculture say that the worms were reported in at least 10 Arkansas counties, including parts of Northwest Arkansas and the River Valley.

Click here to read more about Hammerhead worms.

Pregnant Arkansas woman Ashley Bush was allegedly kidnapped and killed by a Missouri woman who wanted to claim Bush's unborn child as her own. 

Amber Waterman is charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death. The indictment alleges that, between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, 2022, she kidnapped Bush in order to claim her unborn child as her own. 

According to court records, Amber allegedly took Bush from Maysville, Arkansas, to Pineville, Missouri. The indictment alleges the kidnapping resulted in her death.

Amber's husband Jamie Waterman is charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death. The indictment alleges that he assisted Amber, in order to "hinder and prevent her apprehension, trial, and punishment," knowing she had committed the kidnapping resulting in the death of Bush.

The two will remain innocent until proven guilty by a federal grand jury.

On Nov. 28, Jamie Waterman pleaded not guilty to one count of being an accessory after the fact to kidnapping resulting in death. 

Days later, Amber Waterman pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from the death of Bush.

A pretrial conference for Amber and Jamie Waterman was originally set for Dec. 14 and the federal jury trial was set for January 9, 2023, in Springfield, Missouri. On Dec. 12, the pretrial conference was vacated and the jury trial was pushed to Dec 4, 2023.

Click here for the full timeline of the kidnapping and alleged murder of Ashley Bush.

A 17-year-old Hot Springs girl was kidnapped in April 2022 but was found safe after an AMBER Alert lead to the arrest of two people.

On the night of the kidnapping, 20-year-old Dayla Ferrer approached the victim in downtown Hot Springs and asked to use her phone.

The victim entered Ferrer's car where she was "attacked and restrained" by 38-year-old Samuel Bolling. She was hit with a flashlight and a hood was placed over her head, according to police.

Bolling then used the victim's phone to threaten a relative that if $10,000 was not given to them, she would be "sold to human sex traffickers or cut up into little pieces and disposed of in a lake."

She was found safe and the two were arrested. 

Both suspects pleaded not guilty in early May 2022, but in October, Ferrer entered a guilty plea to one count of aiding and abetting kidnapping. 

In November, Bolling also pleaded guilty to kidnapping and conspiracy to commit kidnapping.

There are no further updates on the case at this time.

In January 2022, Bikes, Blues & BBQ officials announced they were moving the annual motorcycle rally from Fayetteville to Rogers.

The motorcycle rally had been a fall staple on Dickson Street in Fayetteville for more than 20 years, but events the previous two years were canceled due to the pandemic.

Fort Smith native Jaylin Williams made his pro basketball dreams come true in 2022 when the OKC Thunder selected him with the 34th overall pick in the second round of the NBA Draft.

The pick marks the fourth consecutive year a Razorback has been selected in the NBA Draft.

He earned 1st team All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive team honors from the coaches, after averaging 10.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. He also tallied 16 double-doubles on the season, including in all four games the Razorbacks played at the NCAA Tournament.

While fairgoers were enjoying the annual Washington County Fair on August 26, 2022, a 16-year-old opened fire on another teen, leading to a chaotic scene.

The victim was taken to an area hospital with minor injuries, and the suspect was arrested two days later in Fayetteville.

Luckily no one else was hurt during the incident.

With turtles on the move all over Arkansas, many being found alongside roads in rural and suburban areas thanks to a wet spring, in June 2022 the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) gave people tips on what to do if they come across one.

According to the AGFC, the three-toed box turtle is one of the most common turtles motorists will encounter in Arkansas, which is protected and illegal to possess or collect.

Click here to learn more about box turtles and what to do if you come across one this upcoming spring.

In early December 2022, Prairie Grove school officials sparked controversy when they reportedly made teachers watch a fake school shooting memorial video. 

Those who saw the video tell 5NEWS that the fake memorial pictures were dated December 14—the anniversary of the Sandy Hook mass shooting.

The video was reportedly made and shown to "create more awareness about the serious responsibilities" that the staff has towards their students, according to an email sent to Prairie Grove staff members. 

There were also reportedly images taken from the staff's personal Facebook pages that were edited to show mourning families and deceased children in the aftermath of a tragic shooting.

The Prairie Grove Superintendent and Middle School Principal announced they will be taking a leave of absence amid outrage over the video.

An EF-3 tornado hit Springdale in the early morning hours of March 30, 2022. The National Weather Service (NWS) later confirmed that the EF-3 tornado touched down for 5.2 miles and was up to 350 yards wide.

It started at 4:04 a.m. just south of Johnson, north of Fayetteville and ended at 4:12 a.m. near Emma Avenue by the Springdale airport. 

They found damage in the EF-3 category after surveying damage at George Elementary School and the Nilfisk plant just off Robinson in Springdale, near the airport.