A man found with a dead body in his truck following a shootout with Crystal City Police last year has been charged with murder in Arkansas, officials reported.
Jarrett W. Cousins, 40, of Bradford, Ark., was charged on April 22 with a class Y felony for first-degree murder in connection with the death of Clara Blaxton, 45, of Independence County, Ark., according to the Arkansas Department of Public Safety. If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison.
Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division special agents determined that Cousins killed Blaxton in Arkansas. Cousins was extradited from Missouri and, as of April 24, was in custody at Ouachita River Correctional Unit in Malvern, Ark., where he is being held on a $1 million bond, authorities reported.
According to a probable-cause statement from the Arkansas State Police, the medical examiner determined Blaxton had been dead for approximately 24 to 48 hours before her body was discovered in Crystal City. Cousins entered Missouri at 6:59 a.m. Dec. 8.
A witness told police that Cousins showed up on his property in Floral, Ark., the day before, adding that Cousins threatened him with a handgun, and then, fearing for his life,, the witness helped Cousins load Blaxton’s body into the front seat of the pickup, the probable-cause statement said.
Cousins allegedly told Arkansas authorities that he and Blaxton were married and made a pact that they were going to get shot and die together. He said they argued because he allegedly did not want to shoot her but she insisted.
He said that while he was on the Floral, Ark., property he shot Cousins once and she didn’t die, so he shot her again, the probable-cause statement said.
At about 11:10 a.m. Dec. 8, police responded to a call about shots fired on the White Castle parking lot, 1000 Veterans Blvd. (Hwy. A), in Festus. According to the probable-cause statement from Jefferson County authorities, shots had been fired from the pickup that Cousins had been driving. A short time later, Crystal City officers spotted Cousins, who reportedly was driving a Ram pickup east on Hwy. A, and attempted to stop him. However, he continued south on Truman Boulevard, and the pickup struck a concrete median and spun around before coming to a stop in front of the Crystal City Center plaza, authorities said.
Authorities said Cousins, who was wearing body armor, exited the pickup holding multiple weapons, and two Crystal City officers tried to get him to drop the weapons. Instead, Cousins fired a handgun multiple times, and officers returned fire at Cousins, who was struck one time in the abdomen. Cousins fell after being shot, but he continued to ignore the officers’ orders to surrender.
While he was on the ground, Cousins allegedly pointed a gun at officers, and Crystal City officers shot at him before he could fire the gun again. After officers shot at Cousins a second time, he was subdued and then transported to an area hospital. Shell casings were recovered from the White Castle parking lot and the roadway near the driver-side door of the Ram, according to the report.
Cousins was charged in Jefferson County on Dec. 9 with first-degree assault, a class A felony punishable by 10 to 30 years or life in prison, and armed criminal action, an unclassified felony that carries a penalty of three to 15 years in prison.