David Dewayne Collins was charged with first-degree murder Sept. 30 and additional charges of first-degree arson and possession of a firearm after former felony convictions were added Oct. 14 in the Sequoyah County District Court, Sallisaw.

Collins, 35, of Pocola was arrested Oct. 1 in Fort Smith, Ark., for the shooting death of Shannon Bryan Southern, 20, of Muldrow, whose body was found Sept. 22 in a burned home on Lee’s Chapel Road, southeast of Muldrow.

John David Luton, first assistant district attorney, requested no bond for the murder suspect during Collins’ arraignment Oct. 7 and the court concurred. Collins is being held in the Sequoyah County Jail without bond. His arraignment was passed to Oct. 14 in order for him to have ample time to obtain an attorney.

District Judge Dennis Sprouse had temporarily appointed attorney Scott T. Hickman to represent Collins but the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (OIDS) attorney filed a bill of particulars requesting an OIDS defense attorney to represent Collins. Collins preliminary hearing will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 25.

According to Shawn Ward, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) special agent, Dr. Andrew Sibley of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Offices, performed the autopsy and ruled the manner of death as a homicide caused by gunshot wounds. An interview with one of Southern’s friends revealed Southern owed Collins $50, Ward said.

The friend said they drove to meet Collins on Sept. 13, and Southern handed Collins $50. Collins handed Southern a pistol and told him to hang on to it because it was worth a lot more than $50. Later, Southern gave the .22 revolver back to Collins.

On Sept. 30 after further interviews and investigations an arrest warrant was issued for Collins. On Oct. 1 Fort Smith Police along with Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Department deputies and OSBI agents arrested Collins.

According to the report Collins admitted he shot and killed Southern. Collins told Ward that he went to Southern’s home to talk to him about some money Southern still owed him. Collins told Ward he took a pistol with him to the door. Collins said he had the pistol in his waistband, according to the report.

Collins told Ward when he knocked on the door and Southern opened it, Southern hit him.

“A fight ensued and Collins ended up shooting Southern while inside the house,” Ward reported.

Collins said he realized Southern was dead and was worried there was evidence that would link him to the crime, according to the report.

Ward reported Collins said he got the .22-caliber revolver which was the same gun Collins previously told Southern to hold. Collins said he grabbed a black semi-automatic pistol belonging to Southern. Collins said he poured gasoline in the living area of Southern’s home and ignited it. Collins told Ward he drove toward Fort Smith and threw both guns into the river between Arkansas and Oklahoma.