Accused Arkansas Murderer Caught In Missouri Capable Of Standing Trial

A man who was arrested for an Arkansas crime after admitting to it while in Branson is competent to stand trial.

Taney County Circuit Court earlier this month found Jeffrey Stansbery of St. Joe competent, according to Missouri court documents.

Stansbery has been in the Taney County Jail in Forsyth since September, following a series of incidents in which he made references to injuring a girl at his Searcy County, Arkansas, home while receiving treatment at Cox Medical Center in Branson. Hospital officials notified the Searcy County Sheriff’s Office, who then contacted the Branson Police Department to question Stansbery. That interview resulted in the discovery of a body at Stansbery’s home by Searcy County and Arkansas State Police officers, which led to his arrest.

Court filings in both Searcy County and Taney County Circuit Courts indicate that Stansbery and his attorney have agreed to extradite him back to Searcy County to face charges of capital murder and abuse of a corpse. The Taney County Jail is still holding Stansbery, but it is likely to transfer him back to Arkansas for his appearance in Searcy County Court in late December or early January.

In another development in the case, Arkansas 20th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Carol Crews has filed notice that Stansbery’s prior conviction for a violent felony in Texas may be used against him in his pending trial.

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