Dobbins Gets 30 Year Plea Sentence from 2016 Murder Charge originating from a Local Bar
July 24th, 2018 by Joe Burgess
Hunter Laney, 25, was shot and killed, around 2 AM, on the last Saturday morning in October, 2016, following an argument, at The River Sports Bar, over 2 pocket knives.
After the parties left the bar, Laney pulled in at a convenience store parking lot, followed by two subjects in a white SUV.
Charles Dobbins, 37, formerly of Monticello, but listed as a Little Rock resident, was arrested on charges of first-degree murder.
Recently, in Drew County Circuit Court, Judge Sam Pope accepted a guilty plea from Dobbins, sentencing him to a total of 30 years in prison. 20 years were on the reduced charge of manslaughter. The 10 year sentence was for two charges of aggravated assault.
The original news coverage of these events are posted on Monticellolive, below this article.
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$500,000 Bond Set on 1st Degree Murder Charge- November 1, 2016
Judge Sam Pope set a $500,000 bond on the man accused of first-degree murder for the death of a Pine Bluff man, fatally shot multiple times in Monticello early Saturday morning on a convenient store parking lot, following an argument over a pocket knife at a local bar.
Charles Dobbins III is charged with first-degree murder, first degree battery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The shooting, which took play Saturday morning at 2 AM, is detailed in early reports, posted below.
Sources tell MLive that Dobbins was taken into custody, at gunpoint, after a short standoff, with Drew County Sheriff Mark Gober and 2 deputies, at a residence on Highway 425 South, around 4 pm, Saturday.
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Saturday night update.
Monticello police have confirmed the arrest of two suspects related to the Saturday morning homicide of a Pine Bluff man.
Hunter Laney, 25, was shot and killed, around 2 AM, Saturday morning following an argument, at The River Sports Bar, over 2 pocket knives.
After the parties left the bar, Laney pulled in at a convenience store parking lot, followed by two subjects in a white SUV.
Charles Dobbins, 37, formally of Monticello, but listed as a Little Rock resident, was arrested on probable charges of first-degree murder.
Another subject was also arrested, on lesser charges, and released.
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Saturday evening
Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigators are assisting Monticello Police in a homicide investigation that occurred outside a gas station along U.S. Highway 278.
The incident was initially reported to police shortly after 2 AM, Saturday morning.
Hunter Laney, 25, of Pine Bluff was shot and killed as he sat in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. A female with Laney was wounded in the gunfire and taken to a Monticello hospital for medical treatment. A third person also in the vehicle was not hurt.
Preliminary information provided to investigators indicates the shooting arose out of a dispute that began earlier at a Monticello nightclub (the River).
As Laney’s vehicle pulled onto the parking lot of the gas station, a light colored SUV truck followed and someone inside the SUV began shooting into Laney’s vehicle.
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Saturday afternoon.
Around 3 PM, Saturday afternoon one of the shooting suspects in last night, side turn himself in to Sheriff Mark Gober.
The unnamed suspect, is a Monticello native, believe to currently be living in Little Rock.
The suspect is being interviewed by investigators from the Monticello Police Department and Arkansas State Police.
The search for other suspects continues.
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Saturday morning.
The Monticello Police Department and the Arkansas State Police are investigating a homicide which occurred at approximately 2:00am Saturday.
Just before 2:00am, the victim and one of the suspects got into an argument at a local night club.
Security at the club made the parties leave the premises and all involved got into two separate vehicles. They then traveled westbound on highway 278 and pulled in a parking lot.
A handgun was fired into the victim’s vehicle striking two of three people inside. The driver was shot multiple times and was pronounced deceased by Drew County Deputy Coroner, Larry Scogins.
A female passenger was struck in the back and was treated and released at Drew Memorial Hospital.
Another passenger in the same vehicle was uninjured.
All three victims are from the Rison and Watson Chapel area.
Police located the suspect’s vehicle abandoned and are searching for them.
At this time, it is believed the suspects have left the area.
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