On a cold December day in 1990, Franklin County was shaken by a brutal crime that remains unsolved to this day. Norman M. Fitch, an 83-year-old resident, was found beaten and unconscious off a dirt road along Interstate 40.
The discovery, made by a group of teenagers on December 1, marked the beginning of a tragic and perplexing case that continues to haunt the area.
Fitch was discovered in a dire state, having suffered severe blunt force injuries, including a depressed skull fracture. The teenagers who found him immediately sought help, and Fitch was transported for emergency treatment.
Despite the best efforts of medical professionals, he was later transferred to a nursing home in Fort Smith, where he succumbed to his injuries on December 11, 1990. His wife, Mary Alice Lindsey Fitch, passed away in 1995. They had several children, including sons Raymond, Marshall, Jim, and John, as well as daughters Mary and Betty.
The Arkansas State Police were called in to assist the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office with the homicide investigation.
The case presented numerous challenges from the outset. There were no immediate leads or suspects, and the motive behind the attack remained unclear. The brutality of the assault suggested a personal vendetta, but Fitch's background provided no obvious clues.
Norman Fitch was a well-known figure in the community, described by neighbors as a kind and gentle man. His murder sent shockwaves through Franklin County, leaving residents fearful and demanding justice.
The lack of progress in the investigation only added to the community's frustration and grief.
As the years passed, the case of Norman Fitch's murder grew cold. Despite periodic reviews and renewed efforts by law enforcement, no significant breakthroughs were made.
The Arkansas State Police Cold Case Unit, formed in 2020, continues to hold the case in contemporary status, hoping that new evidence or information might eventually come to light. The Arkansas State Police urge anyone with information about the case to come forward.
Tips can be submitted by contacting ASP Company D at (479) 365-8710. Any piece of information, no matter how small, could be crucial in solving this case and bringing closure to Fitch's family and the community.
