No clear link between Ark. leader and killer

updated 5:54 p.m. ET Aug. 14, 2008

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - The man who fatally shot the chairman of the state Democratic Party after he lost his job had a Post-it note at home with the victim's last name and phone number along with 14 guns, antidepressants and a last will and testament, according to court documents.

Police said Thursday they know of no relationship between gunman Timothy Dale Johnson, 50, and Bill Gwatney, 48, a car dealer and former state senator who served as the state's Democratic Party chairman.

Johnson shot Gwatney to death Wednesday and was killed by officers after a 30-minute chase.

The search of Johnson's home near Searcy, northeast of Little Rock, turned up two sets of keys for vehicles from Gwatney car lots. Johnson also had a pistol and 13 long guns.

Police Lt. Terry Hastings said officers didn't know what to make of the note and police didn't disclose the phone number or say whether it was to the party headquarters or a car dealership.

"Right now we don't have any indication of motive as far as it deals with Mr. Gwatney," Hastings said. Little Rock police were going through a computer that was seized from Johnson's home, Hastings said.

Wreathes and flowers lined the sidewalk in front of Arkansas' Democratic Party headquarters Thursday. The day before, Johnson — after losing his job at a Target store in Conway — drove more than 30 miles and fatally shot Gwatney.

An 'extremely irate' employee
Johnson had been a good employee in a Target stockroom until Wednesday morning, a Target spokeswoman said.

Target fired Johnson before 8 a.m. Wednesday because he had written on a wall and a manager had called police because of an "extremely irate" employee, said Conway police spokeswoman Sharen Carter. The graffiti, including "Target is run by dumb jocks and sorority b------," had already been cleaned and Johnson had left by the time officers arrived.

"This was different behavior for him," spokeswoman Brie Heath said Thursday. "The manager asked him if he needed to talk. At that point he turned in his badge and left the building."

After leaving the store, Johnson drove to Little Rock and barged into Gwatney's office and shot him multiple times.

"He said he was interested in volunteering, but that was obviously a lie," said Sam Higginbotham, a 17-year-old volunteer at the party's headquarters.

After the shooting, Johnson sped away in a truck, stopped seven blocks away at the Arkansas State Baptist Convention and pointed a gun at the building's manager, police said. When asked what was wrong, the gunman said "I lost my job," according to Dan Jordan, the church group's business manager.

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Fort Hood suspect warned of threats in ranks Cops: Man kills mom, girlfriend, child, self Letterman suspect wants charges dropped AP: Man admits killing abortion doctor NYT: Fort Hood suspect tracked before shooting Supreme Court won't stop sniper execution Investigators: Fort Hood suspect acted alone Recession’s good news: Burglaries fall High court looks at life in prison for juveniles Inquiry in Ohio bodies case widens worldwide Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: