Authorities in Independence County have charged a Batesville man with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with a double homicide that occurred in 2025. According to affidavits filed on Tuesday, Timothy John Neal, 39, is accused of killing Patricia Anderson, 71, and Teresa Owens, 53, whose decomposing bodies were found inside a mobile home on Old Camp Road.
The Independence County Sheriff’s Department and the Arkansas State Police began investigating the case after deputies conducted a welfare check at 1666 Old Camp Road on April 15, 2025. A caller reported that they had not had contact with Anderson in about a week. Deputies arrived to discover a foul odor coming from the home and an unlocked front door. Inside, authorities found Anderson’s body on the kitchen floor and Owens’ body in a bedroom.
An autopsy performed by the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory determined both women died from blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators located Neal living in a camper on the property. According to financial and cell phone records, the victims’ phone activity and bank transactions had ceased on April 7 or April 8, 2025.
Neal denied involvement in the deaths during an interview with investigators, stating that he had been staying in his camper and had not spoken to the victims for three days. However, authorities say evidence gathered in the ongoing investigation led to the Class Y felony charges against Neal, who is currently being held at the Independence County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center.
The discovery of the bodies and subsequent investigation prompted a joint effort between the Independence County Sheriff’s Department and the Arkansas State Police’s Criminal Investigation Division. The investigation remains active, according to officials. Neal’s next court appearance has not yet been announced.