Judge denies request for retrial in Van Buren murder case

VAN BUREN, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — An Arkansas judge denies the request for a retrial in the case of a Van Buren man sentenced to life in prison for his wife’s murder.

Eathan Cypert was convicted of first-degree murder for the July 2022 killing of his wife, Kristina Cypert, and was sentenced to life in prison on Jan. 25.

On Jan 30, Cypert’s attorney, Adam Rose, claimed members of the jury had stated that they knew the victim and the family during jury deliberations.

In a motion filed the next day, it said the jury members had been to the home of the victim and defendant in the past.

Prosecution responds to motion for new trial for Van Buren man found guilty of his wife’s murder

Crawford County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Holmes filed a response to the motion on Feb. 2 and said a potential juror who later became a juror disclosed that he went to school with the victim’s mother and that “he knew what he had seen on the news.”

The request was denied by the judge on Tuesday, according to Holmes.

“Jury deliberations are protected by our rules of evidence and Arkansas law, and it takes extraordinary measures for the Court to consider matters discussed in those deliberations. We fought to protect the jury in this case from having to come in and testify about those deliberations,” Holmes said.

Holmes continued by saying that the defense did not present enough evidence of juror misconduct to warrant a new trial.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KNWA FOX24.