A 39-year-old Cabot woman accused of desecrating her boyfriend’s grave in Sherwood will have her criminal case dropped if she stays out of trouble for a year.
Chasity Rose Gwyn was charged with defacing an object of public respect, a Class C felony based on an estimate of $500 to $2,500 to repair the burial plot of Benjamin “Cody” McDaniel at Griffin Leggett Rest Hills Memorial Park, 7724 Landers Road. She had been scheduled to stand trial on Wednesday before Pulaski County Circuit Judge Karen Whatley. The charge carries up to 10 years in prison.
Instead, prosecutor Will James and defense attorney Sara Merritt negotiated the arrangement for the felony charge to be dismissed, with Gwyn facing the possibility of facing misdemeanor sanctions if she runs afoul of the law within the next year.
According to an arrest affidavit, Gwyn came to the attention of Sherwood police in February 2024 when McDaniel’s mother called police to the cemetery to report that Gwyn had placed bricks and concrete on the grave the day earlier.
Celena Michelle Rudd, 53, said the funeral home had removed the materials but when she returned to the burial site, she had found “I love you Cody,” written in blue spray paint on the ground.
Rudd told police that Gwyn “had been creating issues with the family” since Rudd’s death and had not been allowed to attend his funeral. Rudd said that Gwyn had also been told to stay away from the family.
A Sherwood police officer, Charles Anderson, who provided security for the funeral, said that Gwyn had shown up for the January 2024 service but was escorted off the property.
According to Detective Samuel Berry, the funeral home manager, Melinda Viescas, said staff had cleaned the grave at least eight times because of drug paraphernalia, beer cans, blankets, rocks and spray paint left on the plot.
The detective also found photographs of the grave on Gwyn’s Facebook page that showed blankets and cigarette wrappers on the site. Further, a relative of McDaniel’s, Kristen McDaniel, 55, of Lonoke reported to police March 2024 that she had seen Facebook posts by Gwyn seeking packaged concrete. When someone asked why she need the material, Gwyn had responded, “I need to piss some people off.”
Police obtained an arrest warrant in March 2024. Gwyn surrendered in August and was released on her own recognizance.
According to police reports, Cody McDaniel was shot and killed on New Year’s Eve 2023, about a week after his 30th birthday, by off-duty Little Rock Police Officer Kreshun King Sr. at the Little Rock Walmart at 8801 Baseline Road where King was a security guard.
King had been attempting to help store security personnel detain McDaniel, who was suspected of theft, when McDaniel began to fight with King, cutting King’s hand with the knife.
King backed away from McDaniel and drew his pistol, yelling orders for McDaniel to drop the knife. McDaniel ignored the commands, and advanced on King, who shot McDaniel.
