Benton Courier - Benton man found guilty of robbery, murder

The jury reconvened this morning to determine sentencing for Montrell Ventry, who was convicted before Saline County Circuit Judge Gary Arnold after the jury deliberated for several hours Tuesday.
Ventry was one of four suspects in the Aug. 5, 2007, robbery and shooting in Benton of then 24-year-old Nick Jones, who later died at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock.
Eddie Dixon Jr., 19, of North Little Rock was in the vehicle with Jones when the shooting occurred but was not injured. Dixon and Jones told Benton police on Aug. 5 that they drove to Benton to meet a friend, later found to be Sultaanah Siddiq, 15, of Benton, who gave them directions to a secluded location on Neeley Street.
Jones and Dixon said that when they arrived at the location, three black men ordered them out of the vehicle, robbed them at gunpoint and shot Jones in the face. The men fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle.
Benton police received a call from a resident that Jones was lying on the porch at 706 Palm Street with a gunshot wound to his face.
On Aug. 6, Siddiq was questioned by Benton police. Detectives learned that Jones’ stolen vehicle was recovered in White Hall with Ventry and Terrence Rhodes, 22, of Benton inside and in possession of a 9 mm handgun believed to be used in the murder of Jones.
Benton detectives said evidence shows that Siddiq, Ventry, Rhodes and a juvenile, Mohammed Siddiq, all of Benton, went to the location on Neeley Street on Aug. 5 with the intention of robbing Jones and Dixon of their money so they could later purchase drugs.
Ventry is scheduled to appear in Saline County Circuit Court at a later date on charges of escape and second-degree battery after he fled a Saline County Detention Center van on Oct. 8, 2007. Lt. Hugh Gentry, jail supervisor, said Ventry was returning from a hearing at Benton District Court, and as the van prepared to turn off Neeley Street in the the jail driveway, Ventry escaped.
Ventry had acquired a worn key that enabled him to escape his shackles and handcuffs, authorities said. He reportedly bailed out of an unlocked van door as the transport officer, who was said to be a new employee at the time, turned into the driveway.
“Ventry crossed the [railroad] tracks,” Gentry said, “but we had several people after him and they got him hemmed in pretty quickly. He was free less than 30 minutes.”
Sultaanah Siddiq is scheduled to appear in Saline County Circuit Court before Judge Arnold on May 1 at 1:30 p.m. for a pre-trial hearing on adult charges of capital murder and aggravated robbery.
Rhodes is scheduled to appear in Saline County Circuit Court before Judge Arnold on July 7 on charges of capital murder and two counts of aggravated robbery.
Mohammad Siddiq is scheduled to appear in juvenile court on June 17 on a charge of capital murder.

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