According to the Sheridan Headlight newspaper the murder trial for 53-year-old Philip Reynolds of Grant County has been indefinitely postponed after Reynolds was deemed mentally incompetent after being ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at the Arkansas State Hospital in November 2019.
Reynolds was arrested in Grapevine when deputies arrived at a shot fired call and located fifty-eight-year-old Jerry Mauldin in the ditch with a gunshot wound to his leg. Deputies were assisting Mauldin with his injuries when the suspect, Reynolds, opened fire on the deputies. Deputies were able to treat (Mauldin) and removed him to a safe location where he was transported by MEMS to a medical facility for treatment.
A short time later the suspect engaged the deputies again and shots were exchanged, at which time Reynolds sustained gunshot injuries and retreated into a wooded area. After a short standoff he was taken into custody and transported by Med-Flight to a medical facility for treatment.
While clearing the area and residence, deputies encountered a second victim, forty-five-year-old Patrick Massey, who had sustained fatal injuries prior to their arrival.
Reynolds was charged with one count of capital murder, two counts of attempted capital murder, one count of first-degree battery, and one count of aggravated assault stemming from the incident.
In February, state psychiatrist Dr. Benjamin Silber testified saying he believed that Reynolds “lacked some of the prerequisite capacities relevant to fitness to proceed.”
Judge Eddy Easley then ordered Reynolds to be committed to the State Hospital for 10 months beginning in June. The Department of Human Services (DHS) provided monthly updates on Reynolds in order to notify the court if he ever regained his mental fitness in order to proceed with the trial.
DHS was also ordered to inform the court of any status of Reynolds’ mental health that would prohibit him from being fit for trial, and weather or not he is a danger to himself or others.
It is expected to take several more months before DHS provides a final update to the court regarding the mental health status of Reynolds.
