Another Triple Murder

Located at Benton County Memorial Park Cemetery in Rogers, AR.

Kathryn A. Deason

Nov 26, 1958 - Mar 14, 1990

Julie A. Deason

Feb 23, 1987 - Mar 14, 1990

Sean W. Deason

Mar 23, 1988 - Mar 14, 1990

**************

Killer Says He 'Intended' To Shoot His Wife, Kids

Orlando Sentinal June 10, 1991

A man who pleaded guilty to killing his family says he had gone a week without sleep and suffered from a brain disorder when he shot his wife and two children. Jimmy Earl Deason, 31, of Fayetteville entered his pleas last week to the March 15, 1990, slayings. As part of a plea bargain, he was sentenced to 40 years. ''I was kind of having a nervous breakdown. Something happened to me. I picked up an M-1 carbine and shot my wife while she was in the bathroom,'' Deason told Washington County Judge William Storey. Deason said the first bullet went through his wife, Katherine, 32, and hit his daughter, Julieann, 3, who was standing behind her mother. Deason said he reloaded and shot his son, Sean, 1. He told the judge: ''Yes, I believe I intended to shoot them all, sir.''

The following is Jimmy Earl Deason's inmate record found at http://adc.arkansas.gov/inmate_info/search.php?dcnum=096839&lastname=de&sex=b&agetype=1.

Update: Bright Murders

My original post about theses murders was posted in February of 2011. Since then I have discovered more news clippings on the murders of the Bright family as well as a few on what happened to Gary Earl Bright afterwards.

According to theses articles Gary Earl Bright was sent to a juvenile detention center in Missouri for the murders of his family. About a year later he was released to his father's care.  His farther married Alden Kathleen Webb sometime between 1957 and 1960. In 1960, Gary attacked his step-mother with a wrench and was then sentenced to 15 years in prison for the attack.

Theses are articles from 1957. Most of these repeat each other but the two that added details I separated out and posted them first. 

Brownsville Herald Nov 27, 1957

Daily Register Nov 26, 1957

Three months after the murders Gary Earl Bright was found sane and then placed in a juvenile detention center in St. Louis, MO.

Joplin Globe Feb 4, 1958

Theses are the articles from 1960 when he attacked his step-mother.

The Bee July 23, 1960

Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune Oct 12, 1960

The Gettysburg Times Oct 13, 1960

Nearly Lost But Saved - Horsley Cemetery

Horsley Cemetery, established in 1873 last burial 1912, is located on the corner of Dixieland and Persimmon in Rogers, AR. It is a sad little cemetery that was nearly lost at one time.  Even thou it sits on the corner of a very busy street, for a number of years, you would have never known it was there. It was vandalized leaving many of the stones in pieces. At times the grass and weeds were so tall you couldn't tell it was a cemetery. Until it was cleaned up in 1982 - 1983.  From that point on it has been well mowed and maintained.  The stones have never been repaired but a Restoration Stone was placed with a burial list near the gate. This stone contains most of the names but not all that are buried here.  Many of the names on the list have markers and many do not.  I also found a few stones whose name was not on the list.

Horsley Cemetery

Restored 1982  1983

Lest We Forget

ARENDALE, RICHARD Dec 5, 1802 Apr 10, 1883
BREEZE, MARTHA E. Dau of J.E. and S.A.Sep 29, 1877 Oct 22, 1877 
BURGER, JANE Dau of Eli and Lettia Jan 13, 1876 Nov 17, 1885
DOUGLAS, FANNIE 1854 Jan 2, 1873
DOUGLAS, MARSHAL Husb of R.L. May 22, 1805 May 13, 1873 
GOODHEART, MATILDA Jun 30, 1836 Jun 9, 1912
HORSLEY, NANCY S. 1805 1878
HORSLEY, SIMEON S. 1825 1894
HORSLEY, WILLIAM BURRELL 1800 1885
REESE, EMME  Died A 9, 1882 Age 36 years
REESE, VERGIL S of J.H. and E. Died Dec 9, 1881 Age 3 m 28 d
SHORT, JENNIE Wife of M. June 10, 1830 July 9, 1880
C.W.S (Footstone only)
WILLIAMSON, ARTHUR Dec 28, 1837 Dec 28, 1894
WILSON, ALFRED S of G.E. and M.E. Sep 19, 1881 Oct 9, 1881 

These are all the stones in this cemetery.

Martha E

Dau of

J.E. and S.A.

Breeze

Born

Sept 29, 1877

Died

Oct 22, 1877

Nora Jane

Dau of

Eli and Lettia

Burger

Born

Jan 13, 1876

Died

Nov 15, 1885

Mary J.

Wife of

David Calbert

Born

Mar 9, 1837

Died

Mar 22, 1885

 

Note: Note listed on the Restoration Stone.

 

Emma

Daughter of

J. Z. & M. J.

Douglas

Born

May 27, 1886

Died

June 27, 1886

 

Note: Note listed on the Restoration Stone.

 

Fannie

Douglas

Born 1854

Died

Jan 2 ,1873

Rebecca L

Wife of

Marshal Douglas

Born

Dec 11, 1815

Died

Dec 21, 1885

 

Note: Note listed on the Restoration Stone.

Matilda

Goodheart

Born

June 30, 1836

Died

Jun 9, 1912

Horsley

Wm Burrell

1800 - 1885

Nancy S

1805 - 1878

Simeon S

1825 - 1894

Emme

Wife of

I. H. Reese

Died

Apr 2, 1882

Aged 36 years

Virgil

Son of

E. and I. Reese

Died

Dec 9, 1881

Aged 3 M 28 Ds

William

Note: The first name is all that is left that is legible.

Arthur Williamson

Dec 28, 1837 - Dec 28, 1894

The following are unknown.

Born Oct 1, 1856 - Died July 24, 1890

 

Just An Angel With Shades

Thought this was cute and funny. Came across it in the Rogers Cemetery in Rogers, AR.

The Bright Murders

I have been trying to find information on this sad story for some time but have been unable to find much.  The following is all I have found.  If you have any info you would like to add about this post please feel free to either post a comment or if you wish to remain anonymous email me at nailgal123@gmail.com. To protect the privacy of the living, any person named, will not be posted unless there is a specific document or web link that can be cited. I'm more interested in the story then at pointing fingers.

*****

Information from Find-A-Grave.

Bobby was shot to death along with his sister, Carol, and his mother, Jewell, by his own brother. He was the son of Earl and Jewel Bright, and was born in Bentonville, AR. After killing his mother, brother and sister, the 12-year-old sibling shot himself in the left side of his chest. He survived. The boy told authorities that he became angry when his mother ordered him to go out and round up the cattle. (His father was hospitalized at this time, having been injured in a farming accident). Bobby was survived by his father, Earl; his grandfather, Robert L. McGaugh of Springdale, AR; two uncles, John V. and Melvin L. McGaugh of Springdale; and an aunt, Mrs. Dorothy Rivers of Chattanooga, TN.

Located at Hart Cemetery in Bentonville, AR.

Mother

Jewell Irene

Bright

Oct 11, 1922 - Nov 26, 1957

Son

Bobby Don

Bright

Jan 18, 1955 - Nov 26, 1957

Daughter

Carol Lynn

Bright

Jan 28, 1953 - Nov 26, 1957

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Thank you LaDonna for sending me the following newspaper clips.

Date: 1957-11-26  Paper: Marietta Journal  http://www.genealogybank.com/ 

Date: 1957-11-27; Paper: Oregonian http://www.genealogybank.com/

Update:

http://escapetothesilentcities.blogspot.com/2011/07/update-bright-murders.html

Sunday Styles: Columbariums

Columbariums are structures used to store cremated remains above the ground for memorialization purposes. Community and church cemeteries, as well as, families and individuals use Columbariums. Many community and church cemeteries have Columbariums installed to save space.