Paragould, Arkansas – A teenager from northeast Arkansas has been sentenced to decades in prison following a violent shooting case that left one person dead and another seriously injured in late 2023.
In a courtroom decision on Monday, Second Judicial Circuit Judge Randy Philhours sentenced 19-year-old Matthew Kaden Jaimes to 40 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The sentence comes after Jaimes was convicted in connection with a double shooting that took place in Paragould.
According to court records, the judge imposed 480 months for first-degree murder and 240 months for first-degree battery, with both sentences ordered to run at the same time. Jaimes was also given credit for 888 days already spent in jail.
The case dates back to the morning of November 27, 2023, when police were called to a home on Chadwick Drive after reports of a shooting inside the residence. When officers arrived, they discovered a disturbing scene. One victim was found in the living room with significant head injuries and was not breathing. That individual was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A second victim had also been shot and was rushed for medical treatment. Before being airlifted to an out-of-area trauma center, the surviving victim told investigators that Jaimes was the person responsible for the attack, according to police reports.
Authorities confirmed that neither victim was publicly identified in the court documents released during the proceedings.
As investigators processed the scene, they documented extensive physical evidence inside the home. Police reported finding multiple shell casings scattered across the floor, along with numerous bullet holes in the walls, indicating the severity of the shooting.
The investigation was led by the Paragould Police Department. Officials later said that during an interview conducted the day after the shooting, Jaimes allegedly made statements that investigators considered incriminating. He was arrested shortly afterward.
At the time of the incident, Jaimes was 17 years old. Following his arrest, he was initially held at the Craighead County Juvenile Detention Center while the case moved through the legal system.
The case drew attention locally due to the age of the suspect and the violent nature of the crime. Over time, it proceeded through court until sentencing was finalized this week.
With the ruling now issued, Jaimes will serve his sentence in state custody, marking the end of a legal process that began nearly two years ago with a late-night emergency call and a crime scene that left lasting impact on the Paragould community.
