Arkansas City police apprehend homicide suspect after manhunt

Clark, 40, accused of fatally shooting Hutton, 38, late Friday in south Ark City

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (November 21, 2020) — The Arkansas City Police Department arrested an Arkansas City man early Saturday morning in connection with a shooting homicide Friday night.

James Lyle Clark, 40, was arrested on suspicion of one count of felony second-degree murder.

Clark was booked into the Cowley County Jail in Winfield with no bond through Cowley County District Court in Arkansas City. He remained in custody at the time of this release.

Officers responded about 9:33 p.m. Friday to the intersection of Madison Avenue and the U.S. 77 bypass for a report of a shooting.

They found a vehicle there with a passenger who had been shot. He was identified as Samuel Hutton, 38, of Arkansas City.

Hutton was transported by the Arkansas City Fire-EMS Department to South Central Kansas Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries and died.

During subsequent investigation, police identified Clark as a suspect in the shooting, which they determined had occurred at his residence at 1325 South A St. in southeast Arkansas City.

Officers applied for and executed a search warrant overnight at Clark’s residence.

They worked through the night to attempt to locate Clark and, with the assistance of the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office, he was located and arrested without incident at 5:35 a.m. east of Arkansas City.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the Arkansas City Police Department at (620) 441-4444.

Those wishing to remain anonymous also may contact Cowley County Crime Stoppers, which offers rewards of up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest.

Call (620) 442-7777 in Arkansas City or (620) 221-7777 in Winfield, or visit www.tipsubmit.com or accs.crimestoppersweb.com to make an anonymous report.

An anonymous tip also can be submitted by texting ACTIPS to 847411.

A defendant’s guilt or innocence is to be determined by a court of law.

The Arkansas City Police Department has no further information to release at this time.