Conway man to serve 50 years for murder, other charges, for fatally shooting a man in 2020

Emalyn Muzzy
·2 min read

A circuit court judge sentenced a Conway man to serve 50 years for fatally shooting another man and two other charges, after an altercation inside a bar.

Stephen Denis O’Hara, 58, was found guilty on Friday of murder, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime, and pointing or presenting a firearm at a person, according to a press release from the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

On Nov. 23 2020, O’Hara shot and killed Paul Anthony Mishoe, 30, in the Conway CW’s Wings and Ribs parking lot, 117 Rivertown Blvd. Both men are from Conway.

Honorable Circuit Court Judge Alex Hyman sentenced O’Hara to 45 years for murder and five years each for the other two charges. O’Hara must serve the entire 45 year murder sentence and is not eligible for parole. The two five-year sentences may be served concurrently, sending O’Hara to prison for a total of 50 years.

O’Hara and Mishoe had not met before running into each other at CW’s Wings and Ribs. Mishoe said something to O’Hara about O’Hara’s wife that upset him, according to WBTW.

This led to tense interactions between the pair. Just after midnight, while in the bar’s parking lot, Mishoe hit O’Hara on the back of the head. O’Hara then shot behind himself, hitting Mishoe in the neck.

After shooting Mishoe, O’Hara went after the only eyewitness, Ryan Woodard. O’Hara found Woodard hiding in CW’s Wings and Ribs’ kitchen. Woodard managed to take the gun away from O’Hara, who was arrested shortly afterwards, according to the press release.

“In my 30 years of prosecution, this is one of the most senseless murders I have ever seen,” said Mary-Ellen Walter, the senior assistant solicitor. “Hopefully, this brings some measure of comfort to the victims and their families and allows them to, at long last, begin the healing process.”