Deputies say the deaths in Bonanza remain under active investigation as the community grieves.
BONANZA, AR — A 40-year-old woman and her two 6-year-old twins were found shot to death Wednesday morning inside a home on 1st Avenue in this small Sebastian County city, authorities said, after a welfare check brought deputies and Bonanza police to the address.
Investigators identified the woman as Charity Bealis. Officials have not released the children’s names. Sheriff’s deputies said the three appeared to have gunshot wounds and were taken to the Arkansas State Crime Lab in Little Rock for autopsies. Family members told reporters the children were twins and said they are seeking answers about what happened inside the house. The sheriff’s office said the case remains open and active, with detectives processing evidence, interviewing people and executing search warrants as they work to determine how and why the three were killed.
Deputies were dispatched around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday after a caller asked for a welfare check at the residence on the 1100 block of 1st Avenue, according to the sheriff’s office. Bonanza officers arrived with deputies and were initially unable to contact anyone inside. Two workers at the home helped authorities get in, where deputies found the woman and children dead with apparent gunshot wounds. “We are pursuing every lead and not ruling anything out at this stage,” the sheriff’s office said. Officials said everyone contacted so far has cooperated with investigators. Detectives remained on scene for hours, photographing rooms, collecting items and speaking with neighbors as crime scene tape blocked off the street.
Authorities said the bodies were transported to the state crime lab for autopsies, which will determine the official cause and manner of death. The sheriff’s office did not announce any arrests and did not publicly identify a suspect. It also did not say whether a weapon was recovered from the home. Relatives who gathered near the scene said the children—described by family as bright and inseparable—were 6-year-old twins. The agency asked anyone with information to contact investigators and emphasized that verified details would be released as they become available. The department said it is reviewing digital evidence, canvassing the area and checking recent calls for service tied to the address.
Bonanza, a city of roughly a few hundred residents near the Oklahoma line, rarely sees violent crime, according to residents who spoke near the barricades as investigators worked. Public records show the home sits in a residential area south of Fort Smith, within the sheriff’s patrol jurisdiction but inside Bonanza city limits, which is why both agencies responded. Similar welfare-check cases elsewhere in Arkansas have often hinged on lab timelines for ballistics and autopsy results, which can take days to weeks. Community members left flowers and small stuffed animals along the curb by nightfall, and local churches discussed grief support at midweek services.
Detectives said they executed search warrants tied to the house and expect to seek additional warrants as lab results return. The sheriff’s office said it would provide updates after the crime lab delivers preliminary findings. No charging documents have been filed, and no court hearings were scheduled as of Sunday. If a suspect is identified, officials said they will forward the case to the county prosecutor for charging decisions. The agency plans a media update once examiners report their initial determinations and once interviews and evidence reviews reach the next stage in the case.
Family members who spoke near the scene said they do not believe the mother harmed her children and themselves and called for a thorough investigation. Neighbors described deputies going door to door seeking video and asking about unusual activity early Wednesday. “They were sweet kids, always together,” one resident said, recalling seeing the twins playing in the yard this fall. A relative said the family is leaning on faith and has begun making funeral arrangements while waiting for answers from investigators and the medical examiner.
As of Sunday afternoon, investigators had not released a suspected timeline of the shootings, and officials said the manner and cause of death will be confirmed by autopsies in Little Rock. Detectives continue to analyze evidence and interview additional witnesses. Authorities said the next expected milestone is preliminary crime lab findings this week, followed by an agency update summarizing the latest verified facts.
Author note: Last updated December 8, 2025.