A 37-year-old man, known for his missing finger, has agreed to a 20-year jail term without the possibility of parole for the murder of a man in North Little Rock. The incident occurred two years ago and the culprit, Robert Edward Watts, was apprehended shortly after the crime took place. The victim, Evan Thomas Bowers, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the neck outside his residence on West 22 Street. Watts, a Louisiana native, has been in custody ever since.
Eyewitnesses informed the police that a blue Hyundai had fled the scene, leading to the vehicle’s subsequent interception by an officer near 18th and Orange streets. During questioning, the car’s passenger, James Colson, revealed that he had witnessed his friend being shot by a visitor. Colson described the shooter as someone with a missing finger on his left hand, which was bandaged. The driver, Stephen Lux, corroborated Colson’s account, adding that the shooter referred to himself as N.O. due to his hand injury requiring stitches. Both individuals were able to identify Watts from a photo lineup.
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When questioned by the police, Watts acknowledged being present at the crime scene but claimed to have left before the shooting occurred. He stated that he was down the street when he heard gunshots. While court records mention that Watts had his finger amputated following hand surgery, they do not provide further details regarding the circumstances.
In a recent court filing, it was revealed that Watts had pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The plea agreement, negotiated by deputy prosecutor Scott Duncan and defense attorney Leslie Borgognoni, resulted in Judge Karen Whatley imposing the 20-year sentence with no possibility of parole. Due to Watts’ extensive criminal history, which includes convictions for residential burglaries, he will not be eligible for parole and will be released from prison at the age of 54.
Watts had previously served a 20-year prison sentence for multiple residential burglaries in 2013. He was released on parole in 2020 but was arrested again only a few months later for drug possession and causing a disturbance. He was subsequently sentenced to probation.
