Grand jury indicts Eizember

A federal grand jury in Arkansas has indicted an accused killer on four counts in the November kidnapping of a physician and his wife. <br><br>The panel in the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith

Saturday, January 10th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A federal grand jury in Arkansas has indicted an accused killer on four counts in the November kidnapping of a physician and his wife.

The panel in the Western District of Arkansas in Fort Smith met Tuesday and Wednesday before returning indictments against Scott James Eizember, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Cromwell told the Tulsa World Friday.

Eizember is accused of kidnapping Dr. Samuel W. Peebles and his wife, Martha Peebles, after fleeing from Depew on Nov. 23. He also faces a firearms count and an auto-theft count.

Cromwell said Eizember won't be prosecuted there until state charges in Oklahoma are resolved.

Eizember is charged in Creek County with first-degree murder in the Oct. 18 deaths of A.J. Cantrell, 76, and his wife, Patsy Cantrell, 70, in their Depew home.

He also is charged with shooting with an intent to kill linked to an assault on Tyler Montgomery, 16, the son of Eizember's ex-girlfriend Kathy Biggs, and the beating of Biggs' mother, Karla Wright.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Feb. 13 in Bristow, Okla.

Eizember was on the lam for 37 days, managing to avoid an intense manhunt that took place near Bristow.

Doyce Pitre found Eizember on Nov. 23 in a Depew church food bank and ran from the scene to alert authorities. Eizember allegedly fled in her vehicle, which later was found near Waldron, Ark., authorities said.

Peebles and his wife thought Eizember was a stranded driver when they stopped to help him, but he allegedly forced them at gunpoint to drive him south in their van.

Outside Lufkin, Texas, Samuel Peebles persuaded Eizember to stop for a break. While leaving his van, Samuel Peebles grabbed a handgun from a driver's door pocket and fired at Eizember.

The defendant allegedly pistol-whipped Samuel Peebles and his wife before fleeing in their van, officials said.

The couple walked to a nearby house and called authorities.

Authorities arrested Eizember later outside Lufkin while he was seeking first-aid at a convenience store.

He was hospitalized in Lufkin with three bullet wounds until he was returned to Sapulpa, Okla. on Dec. 3, officials said. He's being held without bail in the Creek County jail.