A Baxter County Circuit Court judge has extended the filing deadline for an appeal in the Dusty Wheeler murder case, following a defense request citing the size of the case record and the court reporter’s heavy workload. The extension, allowing the appeal to be filed by early January 2027, was granted by Circuit Judge Andrew Bailey on September 29, officials confirmed.
Wheeler, 46, was convicted in June of first-degree murder and committing a felony with a firearm in the June 2024 death of 36-year-old Heather Bradford. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison following his trial, which concluded with jury deliberations lasting approximately two and a half hours. Judge Bailey formally adopted the jury’s recommendation on sentencing.
Bradford was found dead outside her home near Cooper Park in Mountain Home on the morning of June 14, 2024. According to investigators, she was seated in a camping chair when she was shot in the head. An autopsy later determined the manner of death to be homicide, not suicide. Key findings, such as the bullet’s trajectory and the lack of contact wound evidence, suggested the shooter fired from above the victim.
Wheeler was inside the residence at the time and claimed he had been asleep. He testified during the trial that an argument had preceded the incident, during which Bradford became agitated and accused him of infidelity. Wheeler stated he left the bedroom to sleep on the couch, believing the situation would de-escalate. He denied any involvement in Bradford’s death.
Bradford’s mother and stepfather, who arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting, told authorities they initially believed she was unconscious and attempted to help her. They found a firearm on her lap, which Bradford’s mother removed and placed in a vehicle, fearing it might accidentally discharge if she moved suddenly.
Testimony from the state’s associate medical examiner, Dr. Adam Craig, noted that the entry wound’s position, a downward trajectory of the shot, and the absence of gunpowder residue supported homicide conclusions. Additionally, witnesses and Bradford’s mother testified that she had no history of suicidal behavior and deeply cared for her children.
Wheeler is currently incarcerated at the Delta Regional Unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections in Chicot County. The deadline for his legal team, led by attorney Ben Gibson, to file the full appellate record reflects the complexity and volume of the case. Preparations, including securing the case record and paying the court reporter, are underway, according to legal documents associated with the motion for extension.