Portales jury: Watson not guilty in Chunn slaying

A Roosevelt County jury has found farmer William “Billy Joe” Watson not guilty of hiring an Aryan Brotherhood member to murder Causey rancher Jimmie Bo Chunn and not guilty of attempting to manufacture methamphetamine. The verdict came about noon Tuesday. Watson was accused of hiring Rogers native Donald Taylor to kill Chunn in 2005 in exchange for anhydrous ammonia for methamphetamine manufacture and then providing the chemical to undercover agents after Chunn’s death. Last year, Taylor pleaded guilty to shooting Chunn in a deal to avoid the death penalty. Defense attorney Gary Mitchell said he appreciated the fair trial and attentive jury...read more