Attorney General Tim Griffin announced on Feb. 18 that remains discovered nearly two decades ago in Mississippi County have been positively identified as those of Little John Sutton, following advanced DNA testing funded by his office.
The identification is significant for the ongoing investigation into Sutton’s death, which was determined to be a homicide in 2006 but had remained unsolved due to the inability to confirm the victim’s identity. The use of new forensic technology aims to bring closure for Sutton’s family and potentially open new leads in solving his murder.
Griffin said, “Advanced DNA testing conducted by Othram has resulted in the positive identification of remains found nearly 20 years ago in Mississippi County. The remains are those of Little John Sutton, who had last been seen in Memphis on August 1, 2006. His remains were found in Mississippi County on September 27, 2006, and his death was determined to be a homicide, but a positive ID was not possible at that time. He was reported missing by his half sister on October 30, 2006.”
He continued: “In September 2025, I directed advanced testing to be done on DNA in this case by Othram, one of the country’s premier forensics laboratories. Funding for advanced DNA testing is one of the resources my office can provide in cold cases. In December, Othram advised of a potential identification and identified a possible relative residing in Memphis. Agents from my office, working with the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office, collected a DNA sample from Mr. Sutton’s half sister in January and submitted it to Othram to see if it was a match. Last week, Othram confirmed the match, officially identifying the remains as Little John Sutton.”
Griffin added: “This is yet another example of my office’s Cold Case Unit working seamlessly with local law enforcement to find answers. I pray that this identification brings closure to Mr. Sutton’s family and opens new leads in solving his murder.” He also thanked Sheriff Aubry Cook for involving his office.
The Arkansas Attorney General’s office engages in initiatives addressing public integrity and community relations across the state according to its official website. It offers consumer protection services and handles both civil and criminal matters while supporting public safety initiatives according to its official website. The Attorney General’s office serves all residents with legal services including fraud reporting resources and community education programs according to its official website.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Office at (870) 658-2242.
Looking ahead, Griffin said he hopes this breakthrough will help generate further leads into resolving other unsolved cases across Arkansas.
