June 3rd 1983, federal fugitive Gordon Kahl is killed along with Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Matthews at a residence outside of Smithville Arkansas.
Kahl had been the subject of a nationwide manhunt after he was involved in a shootout in Medina North Dakota with federal agents and local law enforcement, killing US Marshal Robert Cheshire and US Marshal Kenneth Muir.
Kahl was a self-proclaimed tax protester who had served prison time and was in violation of his parole.
Kahl fled North Dakota after a shooting that killed town US Marshals he ended up in northeast Arkansas down a short gravel road with a cemetery at the end.
Kahl was staying at the home of Leonard and Norma Ginter, who were sympathetic to his cause.
The official report states that law enforcement led by Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Matthews entered the home of the Ginters, Kahl and Sheriff Matthews simultaneously shot each other. Both men would die on that day.
After the initial exchange of gunfire, officers retreated. They then poured fuel down a vent pipe and dropped some type of incendiary device’s igniting the structure on fire.
Kahl’s whereabouts were revealed when a $25,000 reward was offered for any information leading to his capture. Kahl had been staying in Mountain Home with a man named Art Russell before coming to Smithville. Russell’s daughter alerted authorities and collected the $25,000 reward.
Aerial surveillance of the area was conducted at the rural home, authorities spotted a man they believed to be Gordon Kahl.
After the sighting on June 3rd, federal agents along with Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Matthews and other local law enforcement converged on the residence.
These are the remains of the Ginter house where the shootout occurred. Over 40 years later some of the charred furnishings still remain in place.
Kahl’s remains were discovered when the fire was extinguished later that evening. Sheriff Matthews was pronounced dead At Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Walnut Ridge. Both bodies were transported together to the Arkansas State Crime Lab for autopsies.
Sheriff Matthews was buried in Walnut Ridge Arkansas. Gordon Kahl’s remains were returned to Wells County North Dakota.
The Smithville incident led to the prosecution of several people involved in harboring Kahl including Art Russell and the Ginters. Several lawsuits were developed over the years but were dismissed.
The Kahl/Matthews Shooting had been the subject of numerous books, documentaries and even a tv movie (although not very accurate).
Joan Kahl, the widow of Gordon Kahl, was acquitted on charges, she traveled to Lawrence County in the late 1980’s where she held a meeting to discuss her views on taxation in the Lawrence County Courthouse. She never mentioned the shooting in the meeting, she died at age 93.
Yorie Kahl, son of Gordon and Joan is currently serving a life sentence for his involvement in the Medina North Dakota shootings, he was denied parole in 2023.
