Cold Case: Man Shot, Home Set On Fire In 1986

Glenwood, Arkansas is a rural city south of Hot Springs. The population is just over 2,000.

Everybody knows each other and crime is rare. Violence is practically unheard of.

That was until Nov. 26, 1986. Boyd Dillard, 31, was found face down in his home with his hands tied behind him. He had been shot in the head twice, execution style.

Then prosecuting attorney Dub Arnold said two of Dillard's friends found his body.

He explains, "I think it is just a murder and then an arson to cover it up."

However, a call to police wasn't reported until two hours later. Sometime during that period, authorities say five fires were started with gasoline to try and destroy evidence.

Twenty three years later, his killer remains a mystery

Dillard's ex wife says, "I want whoever killed Boyd to pay whatever the penalty is for murder."

She and his family fear for their safety, so we've concealed her identity.

"'I've known Boyd since I was like 12 years old," she explains.

The pair was school mates, friends and eventually husband and wife.

She explains, "He had a very robust personality. Very funny. Everything was funny. He took everything in stride."

The couple was married for four years. They had a daughter together. She was five when he was murdered. She's now 28.

His ex-wife adds, "The personality and the looks are definitely his."

Police believe the killing was drug related. His family says Dillard had been mixed up in the wrong crowd.

"He was still Boyd. He was just a Boyd that needed help," she says.

His ex-wife says he chose the lifestyle because of the excitement he thought it brought.

We're told the motive was possibly over money.

"I knew what he had been fearful of finally occurred," she explains.

State police are the lead investigators in the case. There have been numerous people interviewed and even persons of interest, but there's never that big break.

She says, "I just wish the people that I know were close to him without naming any names, that I know was around, possibly was even in the same room with him when he was being murdered. He would cook for them and provide electricity and just everything that he did for them would come forward and do what they should have done 23 years ago."

Today's THV reached out to Arkansas State Police for comment, but even though it's been 23 years, they refused an interview saying its their police to not comment on open and active investigations."

Dillard's ex-wife says, "As far as I know no one has done anything about what happened with Boyd for the last 22 years. After the first year people would call and give us updates but after that nothing has been said."

She's a mother that wants justice, mainly for their daughter. Thursday is the anniversary of the crime. It's another Thanksgiving come and gone.

"He didn't deserve anything like that. If it was over money, no one deserves that over money."

She calls it a reminder she says to be thankful for loved ones, while hoping people in the small town don't forget Glenwood's only unsolved murder since 1986.

You can catch this story coming up on the "THV 10:00 Difference" and also right here on todaysthv.com.

If you have any information on the murder of Boyd Dillard, you're asked to call Arkansas State Police at 501-618-8850.

Our Arkansas Cold Case series airs every Wednesday night on the "THV 10:00 Difference." If you have an unsolved case that you would like us to look, in e-mail us at news@todaysthv.com.

This series is part of our continuing effort here at Today's THV  to shed light on Arkansas' countless unsloved murders and missing person cases.