On the evening of July 11, 2017, police responded to a report of a possible suicide at Spring Valley Apartments, 8701 Interstate 30 in Little Rock. Inside the unit of 64-year-old Billy Thornton, officers found that he had been shot multiple times; investigators concluded his death was a homicide and the case was turned over to homicide detectives. The complex had already been shaken earlier that year by a separate double homicide, heightening concern among residents.

Thornton was a familiar figure at Spring Valley, known as The Candy Man for selling sodas, candy, and cigarettes from his apartment. Neighbors described him as kind and well-liked, and his violent death left the community shocked and uneasy. A year after the killing, two men were charged in connection with the case, though many details about how they were linked to Thornton’s death were not released.

Did anyone in the Spring Valley community see or hear anything on the night of July 11, 2017, that could help piece together what happened to Thornton?