Earl Alton Methvin

1907 - 1971  (64 years)

• Name	Earl Alton Methvin  [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
  Birth	14 Mar 1907	Marion County, Alabama, USA   [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
  Gender	Male
  Trial	Aug 1926	Faulkner County, Arkansas, USA   [8]
  	Convicted of murdering his wife, Etta, by poison
  		Homicide-METHVIN Etta (Murdered by Earl)
  Census	1930	Dudley Lake, Jefferson, Arkansas, USA   [6]
  	Age: 22; Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Inmate at State Prison Farm #1
  Pardon/Parole	14 Jun 1934	Hope, Hempstead, Arkansas, USA   [9]
  	Granted Parole by the State
  		News-METHVIN Earl (Parole)
  Military Draft Registration	1940	Garden Grove, Orange, California, USA   [4]
  	Draft Registration - WWII
  Residence	1944	North Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA   [7]
  	Fay and Earl Methvin
  Death	22 Aug 1971  [3]
  Burial	Salem Cemetery, East End, Saline, Arkansas, USA   [3]
  Person ID	I16199	A Tree Called Smith
  Last Modified	2 Mar 2023

  
  

  Family 1	Clara Fay Moody,   b. 30 Dec 1916, Arkansas, USA d. 24 Oct 1968, Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA (Age 51 years)
  Marriage	Bef 1944  [7]
  Family ID	F5792	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Mar 2023

  
  

  Family 2	Mary Etta Love,   b. Abt 1907, Arkansas, USA d. 8 Aug 1926, Arkansas, USA (Age 19 years)
  Marriage	19 Nov 1925	Faulkner County, Arkansas, USA   [2, 5]
  Family ID	F5793	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	2 Mar 2023

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 14 Mar 1907 - Marion County, Alabama, USA Marriage - 19 Nov 1925 - Faulkner County, Arkansas, USA Trial - Convicted of murdering his wife, Etta, by poison - Aug 1926 - Faulkner County, Arkansas, USA Pardon/Parole - Granted Parole by the State - 14 Jun 1934 - Hope, Hempstead, Arkansas, USA Military Draft Registration - Draft Registration - WWII - 1940 - Garden Grove, Orange, California, USA Residence - Fay and Earl Methvin - 1944 - North Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• News

  Homicide-METHVIN Etta (Murdered by Earl)

  
  

• Sources

  [S168] Ancestry.com, Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2019;), Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Death Certificates; Year: 1968. Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 [S128] Ancestry.com, Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011;). [S515] Ancestry.com, U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;). [S23] Ancestry.com, U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2011;), National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1211. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [S98] Ancestry.com, Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2019;), Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Marriage Certificates; Year: 1925; Film: #3. Arkansas, Marriage Certificates, 1917-1969 [S12] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2002;), Year: 1930; Census Place: Dudley Lake, Jefferson, Arkansas; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0067; FHL microfilm: 2339813. 1930 United States Federal Census [S155] Ancestry.com, U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Lehi, UT, USA; Date: 2011;). U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [S3333] Murder of Etta Methvin - Memphis Commercial Appeal - 20 Aug 1926, (Name: The Commercial Appeal; Location: Memphis TN; Date: 20 Aug 1926;), FARMER BOUND OVER ON MURDER CHARGE • Earl Methvin Held in Connection With Wife's Death. After preliminary hearing today in justice of the peace court where l2 or more witnesses were introduced by the prosecution and none by the defense, Earl Methvin, aged 19, a farmer residing in the Needs Creek community was held to the grand jury on a charge of first degree murder for the alleged poisoning of his wife, Etta Methvin, whose death occurred the night of Aug 8. Under Arkansas law the charge does not permit bail and Methvin will remain in prison until the next session of the grand jury which will be in October or January as may be decided by Circuit Judge George W Clark. The prosecution rested its case largely on circumstantial evidence supplied by residents of the Needs Creek community, which is 14 miles northeast of Conway, and the evidence of a Conway druggist who testified that on July 17, a man answering Methvin’s size and appearance came to the store and purchased 35 cents worth of strychnine in powdered form. The druggist did not positively identify Methvin as the one who purchased the poisoin, but Dr E T Williams, who made a postmortem examination of the woman, the prosecution set up the fact that chemical analysis of the medicine remaining in the glass and in the box showed traces of strychnine and that another portion of the medicine poured on the ground near the house also showed evidence the poison. Mrs Methvin’s death came one hour after she had taken what she supposed to bo a dose of medicine. Luther Cato testified that he held a light while Dr Williams examined the body. Back of him on a dresser was the glass from which she had drunk the medicine. He said that Methvin passed directly behind him and that within five minutes when a search was made for the glass, it was missing. Mrs W A Ward, sister of Methvin, and in whose home her death occurred, and other women in the house at the time disclosed when questioned, that Methvin gave little evidence of feeling when his wife died and that he went to bed within one hour after she had expired. At the preliminary hearing Methvin informed the court that he did not have funds with which to employ counsel. On the state's motion, the court appointed two attorneys to represent. He apaprently was unmoved while the hearing was in progress and showed little interest except when questioned by his counsel. Spectators in the courtroom packed it to the last seat and overflowed into the aisles. • The Commercial Appeal • Memphis, Tennessee • 20 Aug 1926, Fri • Page 13 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107976552/the-commercial-appeal/?xid=637 Homicide-METHVIN Etta (Murdered by Earl) [S3334] Parole of Earl Methvin - Hope Star - 14 Jun 1934, (Name: Hope Star; Location: Hope AR; Date: 14 Jun 1934;), 72 PAROLED FROM ARKANSAS PRISON. TUCKER PRISON FARM, Ark - Superintendent W G Stedman announced Thursday a list of 72 paroles which were granted at the last meeting of the State Penal Board. The list includes 31 white men and five white women. All are short-term convicts except Earl Methvin, serving 20 years on a murder charge from Faulkner county. Paroles included one for Odis Ward, Hempstead, two years for burglary. Negroes included: Charley Gill, Union county, grand larceny, one year; Mac Archer, Union, three years, for grand larceny. • Hope Star • Hope, Arkansas • 14 Jun 1934, Thu • Page 1 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107979661/hope-star/?xid=637 News-METHVIN Earl (Parole)