This is a series. Letters here reflect the author’s opinion and not necessarily the opinion of MySaline and staff. See the archive and submit your own letter at www.mysaline.com/letters.
By Charles Cross
To the Editor,
As a long-time Saline County resident and former law enforcement investigator, I am writing to express concern regarding public statements made by Richard Friend, a certified law enforcement officer and current candidate for Saline County Sheriff, about his handling of investigative materials connected to the well-known “Boys on the Tracks” homicide case.
In 2024, Mr. Friend appeared on multiple episodes of the Arkansas 15 Minute Podcast, where he described how he came into possession of a state police case file marked “Ives, Henry – Death.” According to his own statements, this occurred in 2004 while he was serving as acting police chief in Shannon Hills. He said he discovered the file during K-9 training at an abandoned structure, reviewed hundreds of pages of documents, took the materials to his home, and later turned them over to the then-indicted Shannon Hills police chief.
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The deaths of Kevin Ives and Don Henry in 1987 remain officially unsolved and represent one of the most consequential homicide investigations in Arkansas history. Any handling of original investigative materials outside a documented chain of custody raises legitimate concerns about professional judgment and evidence integrity – particularly when such handling is described publicly by a candidate seeking to lead a county law enforcement agency.
To be clear, I am not alleging criminal conduct. Rather, I am raising questions of professional standards and accountability based solely on Mr. Friend’s own public descriptions.
Because of the seriousness of these statements, I contacted the Arkansas Division of Law Enforcement Standards and Training to ask whether the conduct described warranted review under professional certification standards. In a written response, Director Chris Chapmond stated that his “initial concern is potential evidence or records in an unsolved homicide case” and advised that he had copied the Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division on the matter. He further noted that the issue would be discussed internally and addressed “within our authority.”
This correspondence confirms that the concerns raised are not hypothetical or political, but substantive enough to merit attention by appropriate oversight and investigative authorities.
This issue is about public trust and professional responsibility. Citizens deserve confidence that those who seek leadership positions in law enforcement demonstrate sound judgment and respect for the integrity of evidence – especially in cases involving unresolved homicides that continue to matter deeply to families and the public.
Respectfully,
Charles R. Cross
Benton, Arkansas
This is a series. Letters here reflect the author’s opinion and not necessarily the opinion of MySaline and staff.See the archive of Letters to the Editor, or submit your own letter at www.mysaline.com/letters.
