True Crime Chronicles: Boone County man killed rural Omaha neighbors in 2010 over what he perceived as "freeloading"

William Curtis Krohn,

In the quiet rural community of Omaha, in Boone County, a long-simmering neighbor dispute over "freeloading" erupted into double murder on July 28, 2010. William Curtis Krohn, then 55, shot and killed his neighbors Christine Ann Pryor, 57, and her husband William Eugene Pryor, 56, inside their mobile home at 19001 Old Lowery Road

The case, marked by a quick arrest, eyewitness accounts from family members, and a plea deal avoiding the death penalty, ended with Krohn receiving two consecutive life sentences.

William Eugene Pryor (born around 1954) and Christine Ann Pryor (born around 1953) lived in a mobile home on Old Lowery Road in the Omaha area of Boone County. They were ordinary residents in a tight-knit Ozarks community where disputes over resources or boundaries could escalate. Their son, William Paul Pryor, and other relatives like nephew Rich Pryor became central to the events and investigation.

Krohn, born October 26, 1954, was a neighbor to the Pryors. At the time of the crime, he was 55 years old. Prior to the murders, he had no noted significant criminal history in available reports. Krohn had grown increasingly frustrated with what he perceived as the Pryors' "mooching and freeloading" way--likely disputes over money, favors, or shared resources common in rural settings.

On July 28, 2010, Boone County deputies responded to reports of gunfire around 5:50 p.m. at the Pryors' address. They found William and Christine Pryor dead inside their mobile home from gunshot wounds inflicted by a .22-caliber revolver.

According to affidavits and statements, Krohn had grown angry with the Pryors and called William Paul Pryor (the victims' son) and nephew Rich Pryor to his own residence because "things had gotten tense."

The three men discussed the issues. Krohn expressed fury over the "freeloading" and declared he "would take care of the problem." Krohn then left, and within minutes, the witnesses heard gunshots. They saw Krohn exiting the Pryors' mobile home carrying a gun.

Rich Pryor confronted him: “I said, Krohny, what happened?” Krohn replied, “I took care of the problem.” Pryor attempted to restrain him, leading to a scuffle in which Krohn was injured (a head wound that Pryor later explained to authorities). Pryor then called law enforcement. Investigators seized numerous firearms from Krohn’s property for ballistic testing to confirm the murder weapon

Krohn was arrested that day and charged with two counts of capital murder (punishable by death or life without parole) and one count of aggravated burglary.

Boone County Sheriff Danny Hickman’s office led the response, with Krohn taken into custody swiftly due to the eyewitnesses. The case relied heavily on statements from Rich Pryor and William Paul Pryor, physical evidence (the gun and ballistics), and Krohn’s post-incident behavior. Krohn was held without bond in the Boone County Jail.

The case did not go to a full trial. On August 9, 2011, Krohn, then 56, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder as part of a deal with Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Ron

Kincade. In exchange, the state dropped the capital murder charges (avoiding a possible death sentence), the aggravated burglary count, and a felony-with-a-firearm enhancement. Krohn received two consecutive life sentences. He began serving them immediately and was later transferred to the Arkansas Division of Correction.

As of May 19, 2026, inmate William C. Krohn remains incarcerated at East AR Region Unit with a life sentence for the 2010 Boone County first-degree murders with no o parole .

The murders highlighted tensions in rural neighbor relations, where minor grievances can turn deadly. Krohn’s nephew

Rich Pryor provided key testimony, underscoring the familial overlap in the small community. No appeals or major post-conviction actions appear prominently in public records, suggesting acceptance of the plea resolution.

This case fits a pattern of "grudge" or dispute-driven homicides in Arkansas’ Ozarks—personal, intimate, and resolved through swift justice rather than prolonged mystery. For the Pryor family, it meant sudden loss; for Krohn, a permanent end to freedom over what he saw as an intolerable "freeloading" problem.

The Boone County tragedy serves as a stark reminder of how quickly anger can escalate in isolated settings, leaving two lives ended and a killer imprisoned for life.