FAYETTEVILLE -- Deputies who shot to death a Farmington man last month were justified in their actions, Prosecutor Matt Durrett said in an email last week.
Randolph Blecher, 50, of 133 Neal St. in Farmington was shot multiple times by two Washington County Sheriff's Office deputies and a deputy who at the time was working as a Goshen police officer during a standoff June 24.
Arkansas State Police finished an investigation into the incident last week and turned the file over to Durrett. On Wednesday, Durrett said he found no criminal wrongdoing among the law enforcement officials.
Blecher had set his house afire and fired a weapon at least once during the standoff, according to law enforcement records. One investigation shows Blecher may have fired at law enforcement officers when they fired back, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office last week.
Internal investigations by the Washington County Sheriff's Office and Goshen Police Department previously found the shooting justified.
The deputies involved -- Lt. Josh McConnell and Cpl. Brian Comstock -- started back to work last week, a spokeswoman said. Part-time Goshen police officer and full-time deputy William Sweeney also has returned to work.
General News on 07/27/2016