15-year-old Arkansas boy to be charged as adult in sister's death

(CBS/AP) RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. - A 15-year-old western Arkansas boy who told investigators he shot and killed his older sister will be charged as an adult with murder, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Prosecutor David Gibbons told The Associated Press that he decided to charge the boy as an adult "because of the nature of the crime."

According to Franklin County Sheriff Anthony Boen, the teen shot his 16-year-old sister multiple times at the family home near Ozark. Boen says the boy walked into the sheriff's office and admitted to the shooting around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, reports CBS affiliate KTHV. Authorities say the teens' parents were out shopping at the time of the incident.

"He just said that he had just shot and killed his sister," said Boen. "...He didn't give a motive."

Boen said he didn't believe the girl's death was accidental, although her brother appeared remorseful and had tears in his eyes when he turned himself in. Authorities are treating the death as a homicide.

The boy, who's name has not been released, was in custody in nearby Sebastian County because Franklin County isn't set up to house juveniles, Boen said. He was expected to appear before a judge Tuesday, although no charges have been yet been filed.

The girl's body was sent to the state crime lab, and preliminary autopsy results are expected sometime this week.

Investigators confiscated multiple guns from the family's home and vehicle and were trying to determine which weapon had been used in the shooting.

"Both the dad and the son were avid hunters," Boen said.

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January 17, 2012 - 15-year-old Arkansas boy tells police he fatally shot older sister