Baxter County Sheriff-elect Mark Hollingsworth announced Sunday that County Coroner Sam Seamans will serve as his chief deputy when he takes office in January. Seamans’ appointment marks his return to full-time law enforcement after leading the coroner’s office for a year and reflects a career spanning over 40 years in law enforcement, public service, and ministry.
“I’ve known and worked with Sam since 1990,” Hollingsworth said, expressing gratitude for bringing Seamans’ extensive experience to his administrative staff.
Hollingsworth secured the Republican nomination for sheriff in a March 31 runoff against Brian Davis, ran unopposed in November, and will succeed retiring Sheriff John Montgomery.
Seamans’ tenure as coroner was always intended to be temporary. The Baxter County Quorum Court appointed him as interim coroner in November 2021 on a 9-2 vote to complete the remaining term of Bradley Hayes, who resigned after 10 years in office to take a job in another city. The term concludes on Dec. 31. Chief Deputy Coroner Sara Fischer, who ran unopposed in the November election, will begin her role as Baxter County Coroner on Jan. 1.
Seamans began his career in law enforcement in 1986 as a patrol officer for the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, while pursuing his bachelor’s degree. In 1990, he joined the Mountain Home Police Department, dedicating 21 years to roles such as overseeing the Community Oriented Policing Division, supervising the school resource officer program, serving as a police chaplain, and acting as a public information officer. He retired in 2011 as a lieutenant but continued serving in law enforcement, including roles at Arkansas State University-Mountain Home and as a part-time criminal investigator with the Mountain Home Police Department.
Seamans was already familiar with the Baxter County Coroner’s Office when selected to lead it. During his time as chief deputy coroner under Hayes, he helped expand the office’s capabilities, saying at the time, “The coroner’s office is near and dear to my heart. It’s not just a job for me.” Seamans emphasized the importance of compassion in working with grieving families, calling it a responsibility that extends beyond paperwork.
In his brief tenure, Seamans pushed for advancements, including securing a handheld AquaEye sonar tool to assist in underwater body recovery. The Quorum Court approved $18,000 for the device after Seamans and Fischer demonstrated its capabilities. The device was later used in Harrison at the request of law enforcement to locate a body in a water-filled quarry.
Seamans’ commitments extend beyond the public safety sector. He holds a Master of Theology from Cranmer Theological House in Dallas and a Master of Ministry from Trinity Theological Seminary in Indiana. In 2015, he founded St. Thomas the Apostle Orthodox Church in Mountain Home, where he continues to serve. He and his wife have two children, both of whom work in law enforcement.