LIFE FOR BOY’S MURDERER

Davis Carpenter, Jr., 38, and Joshua Brown, 22, are charged with capital murder and six counts of rape in the death of 13 year old Jesse Dirkhising.  Jesse was found September 26th in the men's home where he had been going on weekends because he occasionally worked at the hair salon where Carpenter was a stylist.  Brown told police he was Carpenters homosexual lover and had sexual relations with Jesse.  Jesse was found nude and unconscious on the floor with duct tape wrapped around his right hand and an empty prescription bottle was next to him.  Jesse's hands had been tied behind his back, a pair of underwear in his mouth had been secured with duct tape and Brown repeatedly raped him while Carpenter watched.  An autopsy indicated that Jesse died from positional asphyxia, the inability to breathe while in restrictive positions.

Brown was found guilty and sentenced to the maximum Friday: life in prison without parole.  Usually a murder is over in a minute.  In this case, this victim was left helpless and bound, the judge told Brown in Bentonville, Arkansas.  Trying to image his thought process has sent shivers up my spine.    Carpenter is to be tried later.

(Bentonville, Arkansas)