Links between Ark. Dem leader and killer remain unclear

SEARCY, Ark. (AP) — The killer of Arkansas’ Democratic Party chairman had written his victim’s name on a Post-It note and had two sets of car keys from his victim’s car dealership, but links between the men and a motive for the slaying remained a mystery to investigators Thursday.

Police said Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, also owned at least 16 guns, had antidepressant pills and made out a will before shooting Bill Gwatney on Wednesday at party headquarters in Little Rock. He had driven there more than 30 miles after losing his job at a Target store over some graffiti written on a store wall.

The name “Gwatney” and a telephone number were written on a Post-It note found in Johnson’s home, police said. They wouldn’t say whether the number matched the Democratic headquarters or a Gwatney-owned car dealership, if either.

“Right now we don’t have any indication of motive as far as it deals with Mr. Gwatney,” Little Rock police Lt. Terry Hastings said.

After Johnson was killed in a shootout with police, officers found two guns in his pickup truck. Court documents show officers searching Johnson’s home found 13 long guns, a pistol and a prescription antidepressant.

Until Wednesday morning, when he wrote profanity-laced graffiti on a store wall and was questioned by supervisors, Johnson had been a good employee in a stockroom, Target spokeswoman Brie Heath said Thursday.