GENTRY — Police are not identifying a piece of evidence found at the Arizona campsite which could link John McCluskey, 45, and Casslyn Welch, 44, to the Aug. 11 robbery of the Gentry Kut and Kurl salon.

“There is a piece of evidence recovered by the FBI that we are interested in,” Gentry Police Chief Keith Smith saidon Thursday, “but it’s only circumstantial and nothing we could go to trial with unless fingerprints or touch DNA ties it to the Gentry crime.”

Smith said his department is contacting the FBI to see about sending fingerprints from workers at the Kut and Kurl in the hope those fingerprints could tie the recovered evidence to the Gentry salon.

“Without fingerprints or DNA evidence, we can’t tie the piece of evidence to the Gentry robbery for certain,” Smith said.

Smith would not release what the evidence is other than to say it is a “tangible, touchable piece of evidence.” It is related to details of the robbery not released to the press, Smith said.

The Gentry Police Department is continuing to investigate the case and follow up on the leads it receives, Smith said. He noted that by no means is the case closed. Buthe said the department currently has no other suspects or persons of interest in the case.

The Gentry Police Department is cooperating with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal investigators, Smith said, pointing out that any local prosecution is on hold for now until the New Mexico double homicide case is investigated.

McCluskey and Welch are also suspects in the New Mexico carjacking and shooting deaths of Gary and Linda Haas of Tecumseh, Okla. Conviction carries a possible penalty of life in prison or the death penalty.

Until evidence found with McCluskey and Welch is linked withcertainty to the Gentry salon, or until McCluskey and Welch tell more details of the Gentry crime, the case would only be circumstantial and would likely be too weak to take to trial, Smith said.

Arkansas law allows six years from the time of a Class Y felony such as armed robbery to charge someone with the crime.

Police have ample time to thoroughly investigate the robbery case with both McCluskey and Welch now in custody and charged with murders in New Mexico.

Anyone with information on the armed robbery is urged to call the Gentry Police Department at 736-8400.

News, Pages 1 on 09/08/2010