A Fayetteville jury convicted a local man of murder Tuesday after he fatally shot another man and left the body in a barn, despite his claim the killing was in self-defense.
Justin Clark, 32, was found guilty of capital murder in the February 2023 death of James McEnaney, 44. During the trial, Clark admitted to shooting McEnaney but said he acted in self-defense during what he described as an unexpected encounter. Prosecutors argued the evidence didn’t support that claim.
According to court testimony, Clark told police he shot McEnaney after the victim entered a barn on Clark’s property near the intersection of Highway 112 and Pinnacle Hills Parkway. Clark said he didn’t know McEnaney and believed the man was reaching for something in his waistband. After the shooting, Clark moved McEnaney’s body to a mattress inside the barn, where it was later discovered.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Clark the day after the shooting. The case drew attention in Fayetteville not only for its chilling details, but because of the questions it raised about property safety and how people respond when they feel threatened on their own land.
Arkansas law includes a “castle doctrine” that offers legal protection to individuals who use deadly force in their homes, but the application of that law is more limited when it comes to outdoor structures like barns. In this case, prosecutors argued that Clark’s actions—moving the body and waiting more than a day to report the incident—undercut his claim of self-defense.
“This wasn’t a home invasion,” said one law enforcement source familiar with the investigation. “This was a man who made a series of decisions after the fact that raised red flags.”
The case also highlighted how rural and semi-rural property owners in Northwest Arkansas navigate personal safety. With more people moving to unincorporated areas around Fayetteville and Benton County, questions about boundaries, trespassing, and self-defense have become more common.
McEnaney, originally from New Jersey, had been living in the area for several months. Friends said he struggled with addiction and had been trying to get his life back on track. His family, who traveled to Fayetteville for the trial, said they hoped the verdict would bring some measure of closure.
Clark faces a potential sentence of life in prison or the possibility of the death penalty. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for later this month. The jury spent less than two hours deliberating before returning the guilty verdict.
The case has sparked quiet conversations in neighborhoods near where the shooting occurred. Some residents said they sympathized with Clark’s concern for his property, while others questioned whether the situation could have ended differently.
“You hear about people protecting their land, especially out here where things are more isolated,” said one neighbor, who asked not to be named. “But this felt like it went too far.”
Clark’s public defender said they were reviewing the case for possible appeal. Meanwhile, McEnaney’s family has started a small fund to cover funeral expenses and hopes to return to Arkansas to scatter his ashes near where he spent his final months.
Source: 5News KFSM
