Baxter County woman facing murder charges

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. (KAIT) - A Baxter County woman is facing murder charges following an investigation.

On Saturday, May 20, around 7 p.m., Baxter County Sheriff’s Office says a caller asked a deputy to remove someone from a different residence. The caller told deputies that a man was “hanging around” his daughter, saying she’s been “acting up.”

Deputies went to Old Arkana Road for a wellness check. When they arrived, deputies found a dead man lying partially outside the house doorway.

The Baxter County Deputies found Kristy Leedham-Johnston, outside, peaking in through the back door.

When deputies confronted her, she raised her hands, saying, “He’s a really bad guy. I did what I had to do to get away.”

Around 11 p.m. the same night, authorities issued a search warrant on the house and identified the dead male as Mark Dennis Mucha, 48, of Mountain Home. They also found a handgun, knife, and other items.

Leedham-Johnston faces charges of murder in the 1st-degree with a bond of $250,000.

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