AFFIDAVIT OF PROBABLE CAUSE TO OBTAIN BAIL
STATE OF ARKANSAS PLAINTIFF
VS
DAVIS DON CARPENTER DEFENDANT
W/M, DOB: 08-02-61
&
JOSHUA MACAVE BROWN DEFENDANT
W/M, DOB: 6-7-77
FACTS CONSTITUTING PROBABLE CAUSE
Comes now Detective Sergeant Terry Woodside of the Rogers Police
Department Criminal Investigation Division, and under oath doth state:
After extensive investigation, on September 26, 1999, the Defendant,
Joshua Macave Brown, DOB: 6-7-77, was arrested on the charges of Capital
Murder, Class Y Felony, and Rape, Class Y Felony (6 COUNTS). Defendant
Davis Don Carpenter, DOB: 8-2-61, was arrested on September 26th, 1999 at
approximately 7:45 p.m., on the charges of Capital Murder, Class Y Felony,
and Rape, Class Y Felony (6 COUNTS).
The records of the Rogers Police Department reflect that on Sunday,
September 26th, 1999, at 0453 hours, Patrolman Ian Smith and Patrolman
Jason Curry responded to 1207 West Sunset Drive to assist an ambulance
crew of the Rogers Fire Department regarding a call for medical
assistance. Upon their arrival, Davis Don Carpenter, 38 years of age, and
a resident of 1207 West Sunset Drive contacted them. Carpenter seemed very
upset and repeatedly said, "Hes not breathing". Carpenter let
the officers into the apartment and to the northwest bedroom. Another male
subject, Joshua (Josh) Brown, 22 years of age, was standing in the
hallway, completely naked, holding a flashlight and a telephone. The
officers observed a young, naked male subject, later identified as Jesse
Dirkhising (aka: Jesse Yates), thirteen years of age (DOB: 5-24-86), on
the floor in the middle of the room, next to a mattress. Dirkhisings
genitals and abdomen were covered with what appeared to be feces.
Dirkhisings mouth was blue, he had a weak pulse, but he did not appear
to be breathing. Patrolman Smith also observed that Dirkhising had masking
or duct tape wrapped around his right hand. When Josh Brown was asked
about the tape, he replied that they were just playing a game. An empty
prescription bottle was observed on the mattress. In addition, Patrolman
Smith observed some pills and a razor blade on a mirror at the front
entrance, which appeared to be controlled substances and drug
paraphernalia.
Rogers Fire Department Paramedics transported Dirkhising to St. Marys
Hospital emergency room, where he was pronounced dead at 0532 hours.
During preliminary questioning at the scene, Josh Brown assaulted Corporal
Rick Simmons, and was placed under arrest. While being questioned by
Detective Martha Armstrong after being Mirandized, Josh Brown stated that
he was Davis Carpenters lover. Brown also said that he (Brown) and
Dirkhising frequently tie each other up, although not for sexual purposes.
Brown stated that on this occasion he snuck up on Dirkhising, tied his
hands behind his back, placed a pair of underwear in Dirkhisings mouth
and secured them with a bandana and duct tape. He placed a bandana over
Dirkhisings eyes and secured it in place with duct tape. He then placed
a tee shirt over Dirkhisings head, and checked to ensure that
Dirkhisings nostrils were not covered. He placed belts around
Dirkhisings knees and ankles to hold his legs together. Brown then
untied Dirkhisings wrists and secured them to opposite sides of the
mattress. He positioned Dirkhising on his stomach, placing pillows under
his stomach. Brown then proceeded to penetrate Dirkhisings anus with
various items, including three (3) fingers of his hand, his penis, a
cucumber, a sausage, a banana and a douche bottle. Brown stated at one
point he prepared and administered an enema for the victim, using his own
urine as the liquid. Brown then positioned a cucumber so that it was
slightly penetrating Dirkhisings anus, and secured it with tape. He
then went to the kitchen, where he ate a sandwich before returning to the
bedroom. Upon his return, he found that Dirkhising was apparently not
breathing. Brown pulled the tee shirt off Dirkhisings head, cut the
tape and bandanas away, removed the underwear from Dirkhisings mouth
and contacted Carpenter. Brown also guessed Dirkhising to be thirteen or
fourteen years old.
Carpenter told officers that Brown woke him up and told him there was a
problem with Dirkhising. Carpenter found Dirkhising lying on the bedroom
floor with his hands bound with tape. He cut the tape and attempted to
administer CPR before calling 9-1-1.
Det. Jarod Mason interviewed Paula McVey, the grandmother of Jesse
Dirkhising (aka: Jesse Yates). Ms. McVey stated that Davis Carpenter was a
friend of Jesse Dirkhisings mother and stepfather, who live in Prairie
Grove. She stated that for the last two or three months, Dirkhising had
been coming from Prairie Grove to Rogers to stay with Carpenter on the
weekends. She related that she was under the impression that Dirkhising
had been earning money during those weekends by working for Carpenter at
the hairstyling shop where Carpenter worked. She stated that Carpenter had
a younger male lover who lived with him.
A search warrant for 1207 West Sunset Drive, Davis Carpenters
residence, was executed by detectives of the Rogers Police Department.
During the search of the residence, Detectives recovered numerous small
green pills, from the living room and bedroom, various bottles of
prescription medicine, including the controlled substance amitryptiline, a
known heavy sedative commonly used to treat depression. Also located in
the living room, were a mirror with several of the green pills, and a
small quantity of off white colored powder suspected to be methamphetaminc.
Numerous items of evidence were recovered from the bedroom, including two
cucumbers, one of which was covered with what appeared to be petroleum
jelly, the other having what appeared to be fecal matter on it. Also
located in the bedroom was a tube-shaped sausage, as well as a crushed
banana. A plastic disposable douche bottle with the applicator secured in
place with duct tape was found amongst numerous items used in bondage. The
bondage items included numerous belts, large quantities of duct tape and
strapping tape, handcuffs, nylon rope, what appeared to be a rubber jump rope, and electrical cord. Detectives located a mass of items which
included used duct tape, what appeared to be a shirt, a pair of mens
brief underwear, and a bandana, which, according to a statement by
Defendant Josh Brown, were used to gag and blindfold the victim during the
rape. Numerous containers of petroleum jelly were found throughout the
residence.
In the living room, detectives discovered a computer and related equipment
that was still running. When the monitor was turned on, a program entitled
"Medical Drug Reference 4.0" was running on the computer.
The search also revealed a piece of paper on which a note was written to
"Baby." (Investigation has revealed that Carpenter refers to
Brown as "Baby.") In the upper right hand of the note are listed
three types of prescription pills. The text of the note refers to making a
male ("him") take "those pills." It then refers to
positioning pillows beneath the male in a certain way. A different portion
of the same piece of paper says to tell "him" not to fight or
else for the next "14 hours" he will be sexually assaulted.
The search also revealed another note, addressed to an unnamed person,
which refers to a piece of meat being inserted in that persons anus.
The note also refers to "Davis" engaging in sexual intercourse
with "you blindfolded on pills." There is also a note addressed
to "Baby" that refers to "duct tape in place."
The search further revealed a hand-drawn diagram depicting a person on a
bed. There are notations that refer to pillows, "tape all the way
around," "face down," the buttocks of the person
"raised app. 2 feet." Another note was found in the kitchen area
addressed to "baby", and states "could cause serious
damage-back to 3" sticking out and duct tape in place."
The search also revealed a five-page letter addressed "Hey
Baby." The letter is signed by "Davie." In the letter,
"Davie" describes seeing "Babys" "little 10
year old blond whore" at her bus stop in the morning.
"Davie" graphically describes how he can envision
"Baby" engaging in various sexual acts with her.
The search also revealed handwritten texts on a legal pad. In those texts,
the writer describes a man making a "fine crushed white powder"
from "the small oddly purple colored pill." The writer describes
him cutting the pill in ¼ sections so that he would have "enough to
do this again in 4 hours or so, if he needed (or wanted!)." He then
describes the man giving a nine year old girl a glass of milk with the
pill powder mixed in. The writer then writes of the man laughing out loud
"knowing in 20 minutes the pill dust hed added would render her
helpless and drunk
" He then describes in detail the man having the
girl first masturbate and then perform oral sex on him.
Also found on the kitchen table was a receipt from the Price Cutter Food
Warehouse dated September 26, 1999, at 0307 hours. Items purchased
on the receipt included tape for $3.18, "Eckrich" for $2.50, two
cucumbers for $1.00 and "meat dept." for $2.61. A package
containing one sausage was found in the refrigerator and was labeled
"Eckrich." The sausage found in the package was consistent in
appearance with the sausage found in the bedroom.
A detailed interview was conducted at the Rogers Police Department with
defendant Josh Brown on September 27th, 1999 by Detective Sergeant Hayes
Minor. Brown told Sgt. Minor that he and the victim had been sexually
involved for approximately two months. Brown described the sexual acts as
"games" and "playing: with the victim. He said that the
morning of the victims death, he had performed anal sex on the victim
for the first time. In sex acts up until this point, Brown said his penis
had never penetrated the victims anus. Brown told Sgt. Minor that on
this occasion he used his fingers, his penis, a cucumber, a sausage, a
banana and a douche bottle to anally penetrate the victim while the victim
was immobile due to the bindings.
Brown was questioned about Carpenters involvement during the rape and
told Sgt. Minor that Carpenter stood in the doorway of the bedroom, naked,
and watched Brown and the victim while he (Carpenter) masturbated. Brown
was also asked about the notes that were found in the residence. When
asked about the note found in the kitchen addressed to "Baby"
and stating "Could cause serious damage-back to 3" sticking out
and duct tape in place", Brown stated that as he was using the
cucumber to penetrate the victims anus, Carpenter stood in the doorway
trying to get his (Browns) attention without having to speak. When
Brown walked to Carpenter, Carpenter showed him the note indicating that
he should not put the entire cucumber in the victims anus as it may
harm him. Brown stated he returned to the victim and duct taped the
cucumber in place as it penetrated the victims anus approximately one
half inch.
Brown was also shown the diagram that depicts a person bound to a bed,
much the same way Brown described the victim. He stated that the drawing
was completed by Carpenter on a much earlier date. When asked about
Carpenters knowledge of Browns and the victims sexual activities,
Brown stated that Carpenter had walked in on the two in the past. After
that occasion, Brown stated that he and Carpenter talked about Carpenter
watching as the victim and Brown participated in sexual acts.
Brown was also questioned about the receipt he found in the residence from
the Price Cutter Food Warehouse dated September 26th, 1999, at 0307 hours.
Brown told Sgt. Minor that Carpenter had gone to the store alone and
purchased the items, some of which were used during the rape of the
victim.
On September 27th, 1999, an autopsy was conducted on the victim by the
Arkansas State Medical Examiner. Preliminary results of the autopsy
indicate the victim died of "positional asphyxia."
A check of Davis Carpenters prior record shows no known prior
convictions at this time. During conversations held with Det. Sgt. Minor,
Carpenter stated that he had lived in 26 different states, and knew people
in all 50 states. Carpenter apparently has limited family in Springdale,
Arkansas, but has lived out of state on numerous occasions. Further
investigation revealed that in the past two years, Carpenter and Brown
have lived in at least three different states, including Florida. A
records check of Joshua Brown reveals no known prior convictions. Joshua
Brown also has no known ties to the Northwest Arkansas area.
Based on the seriousness of the offense, the substantial likelihood of
conviction, the nature of the penalty that may be imposed, and the
substantial risk of flight, the State joins me in requesting that the
Defendants, Davis Don Carpenter, DOB:08-02-61, and Joshua Macave Brown,
DOB: 6-7-77, be held without bond for the offenses of Capital Murder,
Class Y Felony, Arkansas Code Annotated 5-10-101; and Rape, Class Y Felony
(6 COUNTS), Arkansas Code Annotated 5-14-103.
Det. Sgt. Terry Woodside
Rogers Police Department
212 West Elm Street
Rogers, Arkansas 72756STATE OF ARKANSAS
COUNTY OF BENTON
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 27th day of September, 1999
Kathryn McMath
NOTARY PUBLIC