True Crime Chronicles: Franklin County man has served almost 14-years of a 70-year sentence for girlfriend's murder
- Dennis McCaslin
- Jun 7
- 2 min read
Jason Eugene Houston, born June 29, 1974, and currently serving time in the Arkansas Division of Correction, as convicted and sentenced in August 2012 for the fatal shooting of his 44-year-old girlfriend, Dena Knight Hancock, at her residence just north of Ozark in Franklin County. Houston, who was 37 years old at the time and from the Altus area, remains incarcerated with a projected release date around June 2030.
On January 31, 2012, authorities responded to a shooting at Hancock’s home. Houston allegedly shot her during a domestic incident and then fled the scene. He was later arrested in Van Buren in Crawford County. Initially charged with first-degree murder, Houston ultimately pleaded guilty to second-degree murder as part of a plea agreement.
He reportedly described the shooting as an accident during a mental evaluation. Circuit Judge William Pearson accepted the plea on August 1, 2012, and sentenced him to 55 years for second-degree murder plus an additional 15-year firearm enhancement, for a total effective sentence of 70 years.
Dena Knight Hancock was Houston’s girlfriend at the time of the incident. The homicide occurred in her Franklin County home and was classified as domestic-related, involving the use of a firearm. The second-degree murder conviction indicated that Houston knowingly engaged in conduct that created a strong probability of death or serious harm, though it was not deemed premeditated first-degree murder.
The case also involved related charges stemming from his flight and arrest, including attempted capital murder in Crawford County.
Houston’s criminal history prior to the murder showed a pattern of drug-related offenses and failures to appear. He had multiple prior convictions in Washington County for manufacturing, delivery, or possession of controlled substances, as well as fraud involving drug paraphernalia and failure to appear. These earlier sentences included terms of 48 months and shorter jail stays.
In 2012, around the time of the murder, he faced additional charges in Crawford and Franklin counties for criminal mischief in the first degree, criminal attempt, and a felony with a firearm. His record reflects a history of substance issues, repeated non-compliance with the justice system, and eventual escalation to lethal violence.
Houston has had at least three periods of incarceration with the Arkansas Department of Correction. As of June 2026, he is held at Conway County 309 with a C2 custody classification and Good Time Class I-C.
