Man claiming to have $200 million estate arrested after found living in a van

A man who has listed addresses in Mountain Home and Harrison was recently arrested after he was found inside a white Dodge van parked at Wayne’s Auto Repair located along U.S. Highway 62 East. Fifty-year-old Benjamin Guthrie appeared in Baxter County Circuit Court Monday (May 5) and entered a not guilty plea to breaking and entering (vehicle), criminal mischief and criminal trespass.It was when the discussion turned to Guthrie’s finances that things took an odd turn. Guthrie said he had inherited $200 million from his deceased father, had $9,000 in a checking account and owned property valued at more than $12 million. He claimed the property included a large hotel in Yellville. While it was somewhat difficult to follow Guthrie’s recitation of his wealth, he appeared to claim that his father had invented “Taster’s Choice” coffee.
THE ARREST
Two officers from the Mountain Home Police Department responded to the auto repair business when the owner called and said Guthrie had been spotted in a van that had been parked at the business. The owner of the repair business said Guthrie had exited the van once he had been spotted.

The officers reported that food was found scattered throughout the vehicle as well as burn marks on the headliner and discarded cigarettes on the seats. The owner of the business told the officer that Guthrie had previously been arrested  because of his habit of trespassing and going into vehicles and living in them.

According to the probable cause affidavit, the owner said the Dodge van had been locked the day prior and he was unsure how Guthrie had gotten access. The officer said based on evidence at the scene, it was “apparent” that Guthrie had forced entry.

Guthrie’s bond is set at $5,000. Circuit Judge John Putman told Guthrie that the bond should be no problem for him. “Sounds like you have plenty of money,” the judge told Guthrie.

Guthrie told the court that if damage to the van was a problem, he would “would just buy the car, that’s no problem.”

A few criminal cases have been opened on Guthrie in Boone County, with the last one set up in 2020 when he was initially charged with domestic battery, terroristic threatening and theft of property.

The state dropped the theft of property and terroristic threatening and reduced the 2nd degree battery to 3rd degree battery, a misdemeanor.
The was sentenced to 100 days in the Boone County jail and given credit for 97 days of time served.

The battery case stemmed from injuries his then 71-year-old mother suffered at Guthrie’s hands.

According to the probable cause affidavit Guthrie had threatened to slit his mother’s throat with a shard of glass from a coffee pot he had broken. He is alleged to have threatened to cut his mother when she was sleeping so she would not feel anything.

The mother told officers her son threatened her life on a daily basis.

In early January 2019 Guthrie was also arrested on charges of possessing methamphetamine and paraphernalia used to ingest the drug.

An officer from the Harrison Police Department made the arrest and wrote that Guthrie was acting strangely and would at time punch and kick at unknown objects and say odd things. The officer noted it was difficult to determine “whether Guthrie was on a controlled substance or just being his normal self” based on past dealings the office had with him.”

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