Robert Eugene Finch, Jr.

     The Sheriff's Office has arrested 38 year old ROBERT EUGENE FINCH, JR. of Mountain Home on a charge of Attempted Murder after investigating an incident that was reported Wednesday, March 30th.  The Baxter County 9-1-1 Center notified the Sheriff's Office at approximately 3:52 PM Wednesday that they had received a cell phone call from a female who kept saying "Don't kill me".  The equipment at the 9-1-1 Center traced the call as coming from a location on Baxter CR 413 in the Midway area. 

     Sheriff's deputies responded to that area.  They found items of clothing and some paperwork identifying  who was believed to be the victim involved in the call.   It had been raining all day, but the items they found were dry as if they had just been left there.  A person living in the area gave deputies a description of the vehicle that had been there, being a green Ford pickup truck with a white fender or door.  This information was broadcast to all officers by radio.

     The victim had previously been involved with law enforcement and had indicated she was staying at a motel in Mountain Home.  Officers arrived at this motel at approximately 4:29 PM and found the victim there.  The victim was injured and in need of medical care.  The victim told officers that she had picked up her boyfriend, identified as ROBERT FINCH, from work, and he started an argument with her.  The victim alleged that while on a dirt road FINCH pulled a knife that he carries with him and was trying to stab her and was saying he was going to kill her.  The victim managed to place the call to the 9-1-1 Center and opened the door of the truck to get out.  The truck was still moving.  FINCH grabbed the victim's arm and pushed her out of the truck while it was still in motion.  FINCH grabbed the victim's cell phone.   He then got on top of her and hit her in the head with a rock, again saying he was going to kill her.

     FINCH then agreed to take the victim to the hospital to get medical attention.  They made it into Mountain Home.  The victim then jumped out of the truck at a stop sign, with FINCH still saying he was going to kill her, and she escaped from him.

     After the victim was found at the motel, she was taken by ambulance to Baxter Regional Medical Center in Mountain Home for treatment of her injuries. 

     Officers from several agencies began searching for ROBERT FINCH and the truck he had been driving.  The truck was found at the residence of one of FINCH'S relatives on Eighth Street in Mountain Home, but FINCH was no longer there.  Sheriff's Investigators prepared an affidavit for a warrant for the arrest of ROBERT FINCH and presented it to a Circuit Judge, who approved the issuance of a warrant. 

     Thursday afternoon, March 31st, at approximately 5:24 PM officers found FINCH back at the residence on Eighth Street in Mountain Home and arrested him there.  ROBERT FINCH was transported to the Baxter County Detention Center where he has been incarcerated on one count of Criminal Attempt to Commit Murder in the First Degree and as a Habitual Offender.  Bond has been set at $250,000.  Documentation indicates that FINCH has four previous felony convictions on his record, one of which was for Felony Domestic Battery.

/s/ John F. Montgomery,
Baxter County Sheriff