A man who has been in jail since the day after the murder of four Stone County residents in the community of Ben has been charged with the murders.

Donnie Lee Trammell, 54, is accused of shooting dead his parents, Clinton and Sharon Trammell, and two neighbors, Shirley Watters and her son, James “Cecil” Watters.

In Stone County Circuit Court, the district attorney’s office charged Trammell with four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated burglary and possession of a firearm by a certain person in commission of a felony. .

He is also charged under the Repeat Offenders Act.

Trammell’s bail was set at $4 million.

Trammell has been incarcerated in Stone County Jail for unrelated probation violations since April 22 – the day after the murders he is accused of committing.

Stone County Deputy Chief Sheriff Dammon McGilton said much of the credit for the investigative work that led to the charges should go to the Arkansas State Police, and in particular to the company E.

McGilton noted that at one point, 10 Arkansas State Police investigators were working Stone County murder cases.

McGilton thanked the community for being patient with the sheriff’s department through the difficult investigative process during a news conference announcing Trammell’s arrest.

He stressed that there is no public threat involving the investigation, which he said is ongoing.

McGilton also said no details or additional information would be released before the cases go to court.

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Initial message of Thursday, May 27, 2022:

An arrest was announced today in connection with the inquests into the deaths of four Stone County residents in April.

Donnie Lee Trammell (pictured), 54, of Mountain View, has been charged with four counts of first degree murder; two counts of aggravated burglary; possession of a firearm by a certain person in commission of a crime; and to be a repeat offender.

His bail was set at $4 million.

Trammell has been incarcerated at Stone County Jail since April 22 for unrelated probation violations.

The Stone County Sheriff‘s Department, with the Arkansas State Police as its primary investigative unit, conducted two double homicide investigations beginning April 21.

The bodies of Shirley Watters, 77, and her son, James Watters, 55, were found dead in their home. Both had been shot inside the home at 646 Northcutt Road off Arkansas Highway 5.

Several hours later, the bodies of William Clinton Trammell, 75, and his wife, Sharon, 72, were found murdered, both shot at their residence a short distance from the Watters residence south of Mountain View.

At a news conference Thursday, Stone County Deputy Chief Sheriff Dammon McGilton stressed there were no public threats involving the investigation.

McGilton noted that the results of the investigation should be attributed to the Arkansas State Police and the E Company Investigative Unit.

Image: Stone County Sheriff’s Department

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