A Norfork, Ark., man was found dead Tuesday morning at a residence on First Street in Norfork after deputies responded to a complaint call at that address, involving an intruder inside the residence.
In a statement released Wednesday afternoon by Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery, he said deputies were told by the reporting party that 28-year-old Skyler D. Smith of Norfork had gone inside the residence and was upstairs.
According to Montgomery, a felony warrant had previously been issued for Smith after allegations were made that he had caused extensive damage to the same residence, but it was still outstanding and waiting to be served.
Deputies entered the home and went upstairs area, as the reporting party had said Smith was known to hide in a small area of the attic, said Montgomery. When deputies went to that area, they reportedly found a white sheet hung up in the corner and pulled it back to see Smith lying on his back, with no vital signs present. Noting a long gun was found with the barrel facing toward the deceased, Montgomery said the apparent cause of death was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Baxter County Coroner's Office was called to the scene, and the residence was turned over to the Sheriff's Criminal Investigation Division for processing. Smith’s body will be sent to the Arkansas State Medical Examiner's Office for autopsy to confirm cause and manner of death.
