A Pulaski County jury convicted 20-year-old Tyler Gregory Kendle of first-degree battery and committing a terroristic act in the shooting of his longtime friend, 20-year-old James Lawrence. Kendle was sentenced to 20 years in prison and must serve more than 17 years before becoming eligible for parole, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.
The shooting happened July 17, 2025, as Lawrence drove away from a gathering on Hadfield Road. Investigators found 14 bullet holes in the driver’s side of his car; Lawrence was wounded in both legs and crashed into a ditch. Neighbors tried to help him, and a sheriff’s deputy provided first aid before an ambulance arrived, according to the Democrat-Gazette.
Kendle surrendered when deputies arrived, and officers found the gun nearby, the newspaper reported. Prosecutors said the motive remained unclear. The verdict followed a two-day trial before Circuit Judge Latonya Honorable.
What the surrounding records do—and don’t—show
The Democrat-Gazette reported that deputies had been sent to Kendle’s home six times in the seven months before the shooting. It also reported that his mother believed he was mentally ill, while a court-ordered examination found no such illness. Those details describe reported calls and trial evidence; they do not establish a motive for the shooting or a connection between the earlier calls and the crime…