1964-01-01
Suspect Claims Slaying Accident
Bond Is Denied In Case
By SELDEN HALE
Our Police Reporter
"There was the gun — webstruggled — the gun went These were the words that Paul Arredondo, a 23-year-old former Golden Gloves boxer, used to describe the slaying of Amarillo Police Officer Jerry Wayne Cawthon in the early hours of Wednesday morning
But Arredondo's version of the slaying differs from several witnesses who say that the boxer took the Wesson .38 caliber Smith and revolver from the officer's hoister and fired it into the face of Cawthon.
Paul Martinex Arredondo. of 1421 Garfield. was arraigned on l, a charge of murder with malice before Justice of the Peace Cliff Roberts at noon Wednesday Roberts denied Arredondo bond and remanded him to the Potter County Jnil. The suspect has requested a preliminary hearing which will be held at 1:30 p.m Thursday before District Judge E. E. Jordan
The events leading up to the slaying 24 venr-old Officer Cawthon at 2.30 a,m. in a filthy back porch at 1007 Adams were routine for a city police officer.
He was patrolling in the area of the home when he saw a car driven by Charles "Carlos" Hernandez, 16, of 1320 Houston fail to stop for a red traffic signal at the intersection of 10th and Taylor.
At first Cawthon thought the pair was going to run and he called for help - but then the car stopped at the rear of 1007 Adams and Cawthon told other police units. "Never mind. I have it under control."
The driver of the car, Hernandez, told police that Cawthorn asked him for his driver's license.
"I told him I didn't have one and ran toward the house.
"The officer collared me as I was trying to set in the haas door of the house. He said I was under arrest."
Hernandez began wrestling with the officer and they fell to the floor of the back porch.
"He said I was resisting arrest and then drew his pistol.
He said 'Now come on, Charles.'
The accused slayer, Arredondo, was in the room at the time Hernandez and Cawthon were struggling.
There were about 14 other people in the home. They had been drinking earlier in the evening and had been to a local nightclub.
One of the persons in the house yelled at the officer according to Hernandez.
"I heard someone tell the officer that I was a juvenile and the officer laced his pistol back in the holster and
Said "Now come on on. I don't want to hurt you.'
Hernandez said he was lying on his back and Cawthon was starting to get up
"Just as he got up straight I saw Paul Arrendondo reach over and grab the officer by the face and shove him back. Just as Paul shoved the officer the officer back I sawa Paul with a pistol in the other hand.
"Paul raised the pistol and shot it one time into the officer's face,"said Herhnandez
"The officer fell backwards ito a corner of the porch,"
Other persons told police that following the shooting Arredondo used a dirtv towel to wine his fingerprints from the pistol and then placed it in the slain officer's hand
Hernandez left the site with three other persons andn took them to their home. He then went to the home of a sister to spend the night.
Had it not been for alert nurses at the Amarillo Osteopathic Hospital, the slaying might not have been detected for several hours.
They saw Cawthon's police car chase Hernandez's car through the alley followed closely by a third car. All
three cars stopped at the rear of 1007 Adams.
Minutes later. Mrs. Lee Mullens of 2002 Walker, one of the nurses, heard what sounded like a shot and someone screamed
"I kept saying something was wrong. she said.
A little while after the shot three cars spun away from the home at a high rate of speed
Cawthon's patrol car was not among those leaving
Two of the nurses. Mrs. Betty Craig of 1304 N Spring and Mrs. Pat Hulst of 725 N Aldredge took a flashlight and went to the home to see what the trouble was. They crossed the alley and looked inside the police car.
"The door was open and it was empty except for Franz. the officer's police dos who was chained in the back,
Mrs. Craig said they checked another parked car and stOl a couldn't tind the officer.
"We started toward the back door of the house and three Mexican men walked out and met us," said Mrs Craig
"I asked them where the ollicer was and one of them said he was inside and was injured. He asked us to get help
"I asked him if he had a phone in the house and he said no."
One of the men asked Mrs Craig not to call the police.
"We lookain the back door and saw the policeman propped up thethe of the small room." said Mrs! Crate
"It looked like a junk pile or a garbage bin. And there he was, lying in the corner. dead."
"He looked so young"
The two nurses ran back across the alley and called police.
It was only a few minutes betore the first patrol unit carrying grim-faced police officers arrived at the home.
Paul Arredondo, was in the nome when the officers arrived. His clothes were splattered with blood
Taken to he police station, Arredondo at first refused to Talk and arrogantlv told detectives "If you think you can stick me -- go ahead and file charges against me"
Detectives. and other officers were aroused from bed shortly after the shooting to begin investigating the case. About 14 persons were questioned about the incident and 13 of them have been subpoenaed to appear before the Potter County Grand Jury.
A paraffin test administered to Arredondo indicated that shortly before he was arrested he had fired a weapon
Funeral services for Cawthon will be conducted at 3 p.m. today in the Amarillo Bible Church 1300 W. 15th. he Rev H.A. Somerville, pastor, wil officiate
Burial will be in Llano cemetery with graveside rites conducted by the Palo Duro Masonic Lodge No 1239
Pallbearers wil be police officers of the K-9 Corps of which Cawthorn was a member.
They will be Sgt. Walter Head, Officers Floyd Peek David Griffin, Kenneth Engle, Austin Vaughan. William Meadows, Ronnie Smith, and Byron Stiles!
An honor guard officers was posted by Chief of Police Wiley Alexander at the casket of Cawthorn at the Blackburn-Shaw funeral home.
Cawthon was born Jan. 26, 1939 at Childress and graduated from Childress High School In 1957. He Joined Amarillo Police Department Oct. 26, 1959 and was among the first six men selected for the K-9 corps when was formed.
He and his wife, the former Sharon Kay Bonner, lived at 3408 Van Buren with their three children. Michael Britt. Mitzi Kay 4, and Laura Renee,
Survivors include his wife and children; his mother, Mrs. D. L. Cawthon of Childress: two sisters, Mrs. Wanda Mitchell of Amarillo and Mrs. E. L. Larson of Wichita Falls; two brothers. Bill Canyon, and Charles of Abilene.