Maples arraigned on murder charge

The second man accused of the July 2009 death of Belinda Beisly, was arraigned in the Circuit Court of Vernon County on Tuesday.

Jeremy Maples, 33, of Nevada appeared with his attorney, Rebecca Elliston, and pleaded not guilty to the charge of first-degree murder. Judge James R. Bickel accepted the plea and read the felony information.

Maples had previously waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Associate Circuit Court in exchange for special prosecutor Tim Anderson's promise the state would not seek the death penalty.

The charges against Maples and Beisly's estranged husband, Bob Beisly II, 57, of Nevada, were filed in February more than three years after Mrs. Beisly was found shot to death in her rural Richards home July 15, 2009. Court documents allege Maples committed first-degree murder when "after deliberation," he "knowingly caused" Mrs. Beisly's death by shooting her.

Authorities have alleged that Beisly paid Maples $10,000 to kill Mrs. Beisly.

He was arrested in rural Cedar County near El Dorado Springs on Feb. 9, the day Beisly was arrested at his home in Nevada.

Investigators allege in the months following the murder, Maples, who they described as a part-time farm hand of Beisly's, changed his story about the night of the murder numerous times. He first denied being at the Beisly ranch after 11 p.m. that day said he had never been in the Beisly house.

Maples' girlfriend was interviewed about Maples whereabouts on the day of the murder. However, she later recanted her story and said she changed it to match his closer. She told investigators Maples asked her to throw away a pair of boots he had worn on the night of the murder and to wash the clothes he had been wearing.

Investigators said after several interviews, their stories began to unravel.

Maples allegedly said he was at the Beisly ranch on the night of the murder and claimed he did not know Mrs. Beisly was home. When he entered the house through a broken window, he said, she was already dead.

Mrs. Beisly's body was discovered the next day when a Vernon County Sheriff's deputy went to the ranch at the request of a family member to check on her.

Court documents allege Beisly's husband offered Maples $10,000 to kill his wife and the two discussed the killing more than once during the year leading up to the shooting.

Both men have been charged with first-degree murder in the case. Beisly has already been arraigned. He has pleaded not guilty. Last month, a judge refused to set a bond for Beisly.

He has been granted a change of venue to Pulaski County and twice been granted a new judge

Bickel set a date of June 25 for a pre-hearing conference for Maples. For now, both men are being held in the Vernon County jail without bond.

In addition to the murder charge, Mrs. Beisly's family has filed a wrongful death suit against both men.