James Matthew Charles, known as Tall Folks, was shot and killed in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 3, 2025. Officers responded just before 2:00 a.m. to reports of gunfire in the 300 block of Mason Street and found Charles in a front yard with a gunshot wound; he was taken to a local hospital and later died. He was 43 and had been born in Springfield, Ohio, on February 20, 1982. Raised for parts of his childhood by his grandfather in Gurdon and later by neighbor Myra Young in Hot Springs, he was remembered for his loyalty, generosity, and plans to start a trucking business.

Police identified 25-year-old Austin Lee Warren as a suspect and arrested him in Tulia, Texas, on August 7 after a standoff; Warren was charged with second-degree murder. A 40-year-old, Desray Guess, was arrested and charged with hindering apprehension. The investigation remains ongoing.

Did anyone in Hot Springs know James or see activity near Mason Street that night?