INDEPENDENCE COUNTY, Ark– A 19-year-old Arkansas man who was arrested for beating a 49-year-old man to death told authorities he attacked the man because the man attempted to seduce him.
The incident occurred at the victim’s home on West Wright Street in Sulphur Rock on May 17th.
Authorities say they received a call from a woman, claiming that she discovered the victim, Jason Anderson, dead inside of his bathtub and his vehicle was missing.
While deputies were on their way to Anderson’s home, they received word about a car accident involving Anderson’s vehicle.
Authorities at that scene identified the driver as Matthew Earl Speakman and reported that they could not get in contact with Anderson.
When authorities removed Anderson from his bathtub, they found a hammer, the handle of a hammer, and three large rocks in the water.
Officials made contact with Speakman later in the day and he agreed to speak to them about the use of Anderson’s vehicle.
During the interview, authorities found a meth smoking device on him with residue and noticed his shoes matched the same shoe pattern they found in Anderson’s bathroom.
Speakman admitted that he took the meth pipe from Anderson’s vehicle and was in the victim’s home.
“Y’all need the truth, don’t y’all,” Speakman allegedly said.
He went on to tell officials that while he was inside Anderson’s home, Anderson got naked and attempted to seduce him.
Speakman says he then grabbed a hammer off of a table and struck Anderson in the head with it at least four times. He then grabbed a set of rocks and hit him with those as well.
Speakman also told authorities that Anderson was not fighting him after the first couple of strikes and instead crawled to the bathtub and put himself inside of it.
Speakman, however, continued to strike Anderson with the hammer and the rocks because he feared that Anderson would still try to have sex with him.
Authorities asked Speakman if he thought about getting Anderson help and Speakman told them that he was afraid of going to jail.
Though Speakman was taken into custody on May 17, formal charges were filed on Tuesday.
Speakman has been charged with murder in the first degree, theft of property, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
His bond has been set at $1 million.