NEWS

March 31, 2011
Convicted killer seeks parole

Etheridge Leon “Bill” Carter, 85, convicted in 1994 of killing his wife Shirley Matthews Carter, is asking to be released from prison due to a terminal illness. He goes before the parole board on April 6.

Laurie Matthews Brown Endsley of Heber Springs, the daughter of the shooting victim, said she fears for her life if Carter is released. “He’s proven to be dangerous, and he has made threats to me when he gets out,” she said. “We’ll have a predator in this county if he comes back here.”

During his trial, Carter maintained that his wife’s shooting death in their home was a suicide. He and Shirley married in November 1993; she was killed in April 1994. Two other wives of Carter died mysteriously since 1990, leading to widespread speculation that they were not accidents.

The first death, a drowning in 1990, occurred while Carter and his second wife Louise were fishing alone on Greers Ferry Lake. He married Linda Carter, who died of a gunshot wound. She was a friend of Shirley Matthews, who would be wife No. four and the third one to die mysteriously.

He was dating another lady within no more than a few days after the death of Shirley Carter. “He shot her and then tried to cover her murder by stating that she killed herself,” Endsley said. “He was sentenced to life without parole. He has served 17 years and now is being reviewed to be released.” Endsley and others feel he should remain behind bars and finish serving the sentence handed to him, life without parole.

“I received notification of his parole hearing and have already responded,” Cleburne County Sheriff Marty Moss said. “He was found guilty of taking someone’s life and given a life sentence and I feel he should stay in prison. He shouldn’t be able to walk free.

Why should he be given special treatment because he has a terminal illness when he took someone’s life? I hate it for him and what family he may have left that he has a terminal illness, but the person whose life he took will never get a chance to grow old.” According to Endsley, a life sentence shouldn’t mean serve 17 years and then be released. “This man who was said to be a psychopath killer and killed with no remorse should remain behind bars to serve his life sentence and not endanger another innocent person,” she said.

“Life should mean life, not that you get to 83 years old or become ill and you should be released. My mother was never given the chance to age or live her life.” Endsley will be attending a meeting of protest with the Arkansas Board of Parole on April 6 and would appreciate any letters of protest that you could mail before this date.

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