Fordyce, Arkansas – A 45-year-old Arkansas man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty to a mass shooting that left four people dead and nearly a dozen more injured at a grocery store in Fordyce last year.
Travis Eugene Posey received a sentence of 220 years in prison on July 21, following a plea agreement that spared him the death penalty. The sentencing took place during a pre-trial hearing at the Ouachita County Detention Center courtroom.
Posey was convicted of four counts of capital murder and 11 counts of attempted capital murder. The court handed down four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, ensuring Posey will never be released.
The charges stem from the June 21, 2024, mass shooting at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce. The tragic attack claimed the lives of Callie Weems, 23, Roy Sturgis, 50, Shirley Taylor, 52, and Ellen Shrum, 81. Eleven other people were injured during the incident, making it one of the deadliest mass shootings in Arkansas in recent years.
Posey initially pleaded not guilty during his first court appearance on June 25, 2024. Less than a month later, however, he changed his plea as part of an agreement with prosecutors.
“The deal ensures Posey will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole, avoiding the death penalty,” authorities said.
Despite the severity of the attack, investigators have yet to reveal a motive behind Posey’s actions. Officials have not provided any further details regarding what may have led to the shooting, and the community remains shaken by the lack of answers.
The case has deeply affected the small town of Fordyce, where the Mad Butcher grocery store is considered a central community hub. Memorials for the victims appeared shortly after the shooting, with local residents paying tribute to those lost.
While Posey’s sentencing may offer a sense of closure for some, the emotional scars left by the tragedy remain. Many in the community continue to grieve and seek healing in the aftermath of the senseless violence.
The Arkansas Department of Corrections will oversee Posey’s incarceration, where he will serve his sentence with no possibility of parole.
