Bond was set at $50,000 Monday for an El Dorado man charged in the death of a pregnant woman whose body was found in the parking lot of a local business.
Tyler E. Anglin, 33, was arrested July 23 on two counts of manslaughter and tampering with physical evidence in the death of 32-year-old Brooklin M. Hinkle of Hampton.
Because Anglin is linked to someone who works in the 13th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney's Office, the office has recused itself from the case and a special prosecutor and public defender -- Jack McQuary of Benton and Alex Morphis of Little Rock, respectively -- have been assigned.
"The (Union County Circuit Court) judge signed off on the appointment of a special prosecutor through the (Arkansas Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator)," said Jeff Rogers, Chief Deputy Prosecutor of the 13th JDPAO. "The circuit judge signed the order this morning and the state has assigned a special prosecutor to handle this case."
"My office will be involved in no aspect of it and it will be up to the special prosecutor, who was here for the first appearance, to handle it and he will handle it independently of my office," Rogers explained.
When asked to identify the employee to whom Anglin is connected within the prosecuting attorney's office, Rogers and the EPD declined to comment.
Rogers referred questions to the Arkansas Office of the Prosecutor Coordinator.
Hinkle was found dead July 23 inside her vehicle in the parking lot of Home Depot, 507 W. 19th, where she worked, El Dorado police said.
A cause of death has not been determined.
At approximately 11:25 a.m. Friday, police responded to a report of an unresponsive female inside a vehicle in the Home Depot parking lot, just off the 19th Street entrance.
Capt. Scott Harwell, of the EPD's Criminal Investigative Division, said emergency medical technicians were summoned to the scene and Hinkle was pronounced dead a short time later.
Harwell said Hinkle did not have any visible injuries. Her body has been sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock for an autopsy.
He said investigators are awaiting a preliminary medical report from the state crime lab to determine the cause and manner of death.
Harwell said investigators confirmed that Anglin placed the call to 911 dispatchers but he was not on the scene when officers arrived.
Police were able to use cellphone pings to track Anglin's location and he was taken into custody Friday.
"He was not on location at Home Depot when he called (911). He was interviewed and later arrested on charges stemming from the investigation," Harwell said.
He said Anglin is a former employee of the El Dorado Home Depot and that he and Hinkle had been romantically involved at one point.
A representative from Home Depot referred inquiries to law enforcement officers.
At the time of her death, Hinkle, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq, was nearly six months pregnant, Harwell said.
He said Anglin admitted having been with Hinkle prior to placing the 911 call and that he was aware that Hinkle was pregnant.
"It's uncertain if the defendant was the child's father or if the father, at this time, is known," Harwell said.
He said the investigation is ongoing and police are sorting out the details to determine what led up the events that occurred on the morning of July 23.
During his first appearance hearing Monday in 35th Judicial District Court, Anglin was issued a $50,000 bond, cash or corporate surety.
He was also ordered to abide by a daily curfew of 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. upon his release on bond from the Union County jail.
