No clear link between Ark. leader and killer

Neighbors said they never saw Johnson with any of the firearms he owned. "Something bad must have happened," Liles said. "He must have just snapped."

Thursday, his young beagle remained in a wire-fence pen in the backyard, crying out occasionally at passers-by.

Another neighbor said investigators visited her home Wednesday to talk about the suspect. Loretta Jones said her only contact with Johnson had been the three or four times she complained to him about his dog.

"It makes you wonder what got into somebody to do something so horrible," Jones said.

Democratic and Republican party officials said their offices would remain closed until Monday. A wreath featuring an elephant and donkey figures stood outside the Democratic headquarters Wednesday evening.

"Bill Gwatney was our friend, our party's leader, and so many times our party's conscience," the party said in a statement. "Our state and our party are better for all that Bill Gwatney has done."

Gov. Mike Beebe, a Democrat who served with Gwatney in the state Senate, joined a vigil at University Hospital after what he called a "shocking and senseless attack."

'Deep pain'
Gwatney was Beebe's finance chairman during the 2006 campaign, when Democrats swept all seven statewide offices.

"Arkansas has lost a great son, and I have lost a great friend," Beebe said. "There is deep pain in Arkansas tonight because of the sheer number of people who knew, respected and loved Bill Gwatney."

Danny Johnston / AP file Bill Clinton described Arkansas' Democratic Party Chairman Bill Gwatney as a "cherished friend". Gwatney, a former state senator, was shot dead on Wednesday.

Karen Ray, executive director of the Republican Party of Arkansas, sent her workers home after the shooting "out of an abundance of caution."

"He was an admirable Arkansan and gave so much to this state and his party," GOP chairman Dennis Milligan said.

Because of his position in the state party, Gwatney was to be a superdelegate to the Democratic National Convention this month in Denver. He declared his support for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after the Arkansas primary in February but endorsed Barack Obama after Clinton dropped out of the presidential race.

Clinton and her husband, former President and former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, issued a statement calling Gwatney "not only a strong chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but ... also a cherished friend and confidante."

Obama said: "Michelle and I are heartbroken to hear about the tragic loss of Chairman Bill Gwatney. We're praying for his family and friends and all who worked with him and loved him."

More from msnbc.com When officials reject stimulus funds, sparks fly New Delhi's cowboys lasso loose bovines Cosmic Log: 50 years of science sagas Looking for alien earths? Here they come Resume? Bah! Single tweet earns him a job Giving back for the holidays? Send us your pictures

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Police: Girl, 12, raped in school stairwell   Police find slain family in upscale Calif. home Gaps in DNA banks lead to tragedy Ex-Marine indicted in slayings of 5 Calif. women 3 Rhode Island detectives shot during drug raid Police seek 2 in Las Vegas armored car heist Teen sentenced to 30 years in Florida gang rape 2 women reach plea deals in gluing of Wis. lover 2 guilty of killing CA teen, hiding body in drum Gun charge nets trick-or-treater killer 16 years Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: