Officer David Thurman was shot and killed while he and the town marshal were questioning two suspects about vehicle tampering.

On April 14, 1991, Officer Thurman and City Marshal Lloyd Perkins spotted two men, one of them carrying a tire iron walking toward Officer Thurman's personal vehicle where it was parked on a grocery store parking lot in Pineville, about 10 miles north of the Arkansas border. They advised the officers they had identification in their pickup truck. Marshal Perkins was struck, possibly with the tire iron. Officer Thurman came to the Marshal's aid and scuffled with the suspect. During the scuffle Officer Thurman was shot with his duty weapon, a .357 magnum revolver striking him in the back of the head, in the face and once in the lower back. Marshal Perkins was stunned by the blows and attempted to return to the patrol car. One of the suspects approached Marshal Perkins firing twice. Marshal Perkins fired at the suspects through the windshield of the patrol vehicle as the two suspects fled the scene.

Both suspect, David L. Moore, 19, and Billy Joe Price, 18, both of Gravette, Arkansas, were taken into custody in Arkansas. Moore was charged with capital murder and assault on a law enforcement officer. Price was charged with second degree murder.

Officer Thurman was survived by his wife. Interred: Peace Valley Cemetery.