Sydney Sutherland: Farmer accused of murdering Arkansas jogger was familiar with her, won 2016 Farm Family award
JACKSON COUNTY, ARKANSAS: A farmer from Arkansas, who reportedly confessed to murdering a female jogger, was was "familiar" with her and had also won the 2016 Jackson County Farm Family of the Year. The farmer, identified as 28-year-old Quake Lewellyn, was charged with one count of capital murder shortly after the body of 25-year-old Sydney Sutherland was discovered last week on Friday, August 21, in Newport, online court records state.
Sutherland's boyfriend Alex's parents, in a recent statement, said that Lewellyn is believed to have confessed to the crime. "They have arrested the person that has committed this horrible crime. He has admitted doing this. Also pray for his family as they have to face what has happened," Alex's mother Cathy Hood wrote on social media. Sutherland, according to her Facebook page, worked as a nurse and lived with her boyfriend.
Lewellyn, a Tuckerman High School graduate, in 2016 was named Jackson County Farm Family of the Year along with his father, Michael, and grandfather, Donald, reports state. Lewellyn at the time had told ArkansasOnline.com: "I’ve always worked on the farm. I began driving a yellow Ford, … hauling seed for dad. We all have our own farms, but we help each other out." While his father, Michael, said: "We are a true family farm. From my dad, Donald, to me, to my son, Quake." It is believed that the family owns 5,800 acres in four counties.
Sutherland's body was found by authorities, on Friday, nearly two days after a search operation was launched to find her using helicopter crew and K-9 units. The 25-year-old was last seen running on State Hwy 18 between Newport and Grubbs on Wednesday, August 19 at 3 PM. Days after Sutherland went missing, Jackson County Sheriff David Lucas had confirmed that a man had been arrested in connection to her death and is expected to be charged with homicide.
Authorities have not yet revealed the details of where exactly Sutherland's body was found and how she was killed. Lucas, in a press conference on Saturday, August 22, had said: "We do have a suspect in custody at this time. However, I can't release his name until he's formally charged." Local news station KARK 4 later identified the suspect as Lewellyn. Police also revealed that the farmer from Jonesboro and was known to the victim. The nature of their relationship, however, is not yet clear.
Police, prior to Lewellyn's arrest, had found Sutherland's iPhone about a quarter-mile from her home on Friday. The 25-year-old, at the time of her running, was wearing an Apple Watch and had her iPhone with her. One of Sutherland's relatives, on Thursday, had also shared a Ring Footage at their house, revealing a picture of Sutherland just moments before she went out for a run. In the image, she is seen in black shorts, a white tank top, and pink sneakers. The relative, on her social media, wrote: "This was at 1pm on 8/19/20 at our house. She went for a walk around 230pm by her house on HWY 18. Please help us find our sassy!!"
It is not yet revealed how authorities identified the suspect or if any evidence was found at the scene. The State Medical Examiners Office confirmed the identity of the body found as Sydney Sutherland through DNA.