Little Rock TV anchor dies following assault

[Thomas Veil]

You may've already seen the story about the Little Rock, Arkansas TV morning anchor, Anne Pressly, who was severely beaten. Well, she's died.

(CNN) -- CNN affiliate KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas, announced Saturday evening that its morning anchorwoman, Anne Pressly, died from injuries sustained in an assault.

Anne Pressly, 26, was a popular morning news anchor at KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Pressly, 26, was found beaten early Monday at her home. She was hospitalized and sedated.

Pressly's parents released a statement saying they were "with her in her last moments." They also asked for "the privacy we need at this very difficult time," KATV reported.

Police said Pressly was apparently not targeted but was attacked during the course of a burglary. Her purse was missing.

Pressly was beaten around the head, face and neck. She had been unable to communicate with her family or police while sedated in the intensive care unit.

The anchor's death came only a day after a doctor said he was encouraged by her recovery.

Dr. Clifton R. Johnson said Friday that swelling in Pressly's brain had gone down since she was hospitalized and that doctors had slowly been reducing her sedative dosages.

Police have yet to identify a suspect, though detectives have combed the area around Pressly's home in the Heights neighborhood, a mix of bungalows and mansions near the Little Rock Country Club.

News reports have said detectives found evidence that Pressly's credit card was used Monday at a gas station a few miles from her home.

On Saturday, KATV opened its nightly news cast with a seven-minute segment devoted to Pressly. Anchor Pamela Smith told viewers that Pressly's family agreed to have their daughter be an organ donor. Smith's voice hitched as she read condolences sent into the station, her eyes red.

"She owned every room she was in, not because she demanded our attention, but because we willingly gave it to her," Smith said. "We all felt a little better, a little more alive just being near her.

"Life was easy for Anne Pressly. But it is her death that is so very hard for all of us."

A reward fund KATV set up to help find the killer or killers has reached $30,000, the station reported on its Web site Saturday night.

No funeral arrangements were immediately announced.

Pressly had a brief role as a TV commentator in Oliver Stone's film "W.," released in theaters earlier in October.

Horrible.

 

[Abstract]

Wow, she must have took quite a beating to have died from it.

 

[scotty96LSC]

I just saw on line this am. Another one of those deaths you just ask yourself, "Why?" "What is so important that you have to kill someone for it?"
My thoughts and prayers go out to her family.

 

[Gray-Wolf]

Hopefully, the cops will get this guy, and bury him UNDER the jail. Family might do it for them. Robbery was no reason to beat her like he did.

 

[jaw04005]

Unfortunately, there are currently no real leads in the investigation. Little Rock Police were hoping to get new information from her once she became conscious.

Just this past Friday, her doctors were expecting her to make a full recovery over time.

Although I didn't know Anne personally, I was a member of a group that invited her to speak at a conference. She was very gracious and gave a enthusiastic speech on broadcast journalism.

It's a sad situation. She'll be dearly missed here in Arkansas. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and the staff at KATV.

For more information, http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1008/564436.html.

 

[iJon]

This has been a horrible story for our neck of the woods. Human beings never seize to amaze me in how cruel we can be.

jon

 

[jaw04005]

Breaking News

Little Rock Police have named a suspect in the Anne Pressly murder. The suspect is Curtis Lavell Vance of Marianna, Arkansas.

More information here:

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1108/573330.html

 

[jaw04005]

Guilty on all counts

Well, they found him guilty on all counts. He could face the death penalty here in Arkansas.

"After deliberating slightly more than two hours, a jury Wednesday found a man guilty of capital murder and other charges in the October 2008 death of Arkansas television anchor Anne Pressly, according to CNN affiliate KARK.

Curtis Lavelle Vance, 29, was convicted of capital murder, residential burglary, rape and theft of property, the station reported. He could face the death penalty.

Pressly, 26, the morning news anchor for Little Rock, Arkansas, television station and CNN affiliate KATV, was found badly beaten and unconscious in her home. She died five days later."

http://www.katv.com/news/stories/1109/677222.html
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/11/arkansas.anchor.slain/index.html