The following is a press release from the 10th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney:
April 1, 2025 – William Cody King has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple domestic violence-related charges.
King pleaded guilty to committing Aggravated Assault on a Family or Household Member, Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree, Domestic Battery in the Third Degree (two counts), and False Imprisonment in the First Degree. These offenses occurred on July 1 and July 27, 2024.
After accepting King’s guilty plea, Judge Crews Puryear held a sentencing hearing where the court reviewed evidence, including video footage of the abuse. The videos depicted the victim being choked, threatened with death, shoved into a wall, held at knifepoint, and headbutted. The footage concluded with the victim fleeing to a neighbor’s house to seek police assistance. The court also heard testimony from the victim and from King, who attributed his actions to alcohol abuse.
Following the presentation of evidence, Judge Puryear imposed the following sentences:
∙ Aggravated Assault on a Family or Household Member – 3 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction, plus a 3-year suspended sentence.
∙ Terroristic Threatening in the First Degree – 3 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction, plus a 3-year suspended sentence.
∙ False Imprisonment in the First Degree – 4 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction, plus a 6-year suspended sentence.
∙ Domestic Battery in the Third Degree (two counts) – 1 year in county jail for each count (to run concurrently with felony sentences).
Judge Puryear ordered the felony sentences to run consecutively, resulting in a total of 10 years in prison. Under Arkansas law, misdemeanor sentences must run concurrently with felony convictions.
Tenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney Frank Spain praised the outcome:
“It is my hope that this sentence encourages other victims of domestic violence to seek help, report their abuse, and trust the judicial system to hold offenders accountable.†If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, resources are available. Contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit www.thehotline.org.
