Feb 2024. Blues Vol 40 No. 2

AROUND THE COUNTRY
STONE COUNTY, AR.
Arkansas residents remember Stone County Deputy Justin
Smith who was killed while trying to serve a warrant.
STONE COUNTY, AR. – Community
members in Stone County
are mourning the loss of a
deputy who was shot and killed
in the line of duty, while the man
accused of the shooting waits in
jail.
Officials with the Stone County
Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Justin
Smith was called to a home
on Sawmill Road Tuesday night
to serve a warrant for misdemeanor
terroristic threatening.
According to preliminary evidence
from Arkansas State Police,
Smith was trying to arrest
52-year-old Clinton Hefton when
Hefton shot the deputy, who was
later found by other officers and
died from his injuries.
The news of Smith’s death
shocked many in the small rural
Arkansas county. In a county
of just over 12,000, the loss of
Smith hits close to home.
“There’s so much stuff going on
in the world today,” Stone County
Judge Stacey Avey said. “It’s
hard to comprehend that people
would do this to someone just
serving a warrant.”
Dozens lined the streets of
downtown Mountain View
Wednesday to pay their respects
to the deputy gone too soon.
“He was a very good officer,”
Avey recalled. “Always did his
job, and loved his job.”
The sheriff’s office placed a
patrol car outside the courthouse
where people could pay
their respects. Many came by
to drop off flowers and share
stories of Smith and his work in
Stone County.
“People who do this line of
work, they do it because they
love it,” Avey said. “They love
their community, and they want
to make a better place for us to
live, and that’s what Justin was
doing.”
Hefton was taken into custody
Tuesday night after a standoff
DEPUTY JUSTIN SMITH
with authorities. It was taken
to the Cleburne County jail
where he is being held without
bond. According to Stone County
Sheriff Brandon Long, Hefton
is facing a charge of capital
murder.
Deputy Smith had served with
the Stone County Sheriff’s Office
for 14 years.
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26 The Blues - February ‘24