Editor’s Note: This is the first article in an ongoing series called “The Road to Lazy Bend” about the murder of Patrick Massey by Philip Reynolds in 2019. Reynolds is currently housed in the Arkansas State Hospital but could be released any time to a less secure facility then to society with no supervision. A version of this story was originally published in January 2024 in another a publication I co-founded and wrote for. This story has been revised for The Grant County Fire. This introductory story to the murder of Patrick Massey ignited my investigation into this case that continues to this day.

The date: March 28, 2019.

Crazy Uncle Phil posted maniacally on Facebook.

That’s what he called himself. Crazy Uncle Phil. 

He started the day soon after midnight, posting a photo of a young girl. He made her his cover photo. The girl? A possible relative. A niece, perhaps, to his Crazy Uncle Phil moniker. 

Crazy Uncle Phil had returned at some point to family land in the Grant County backwoods closer to the Cleveland County line than to the Sheridan town square. 

On that home place, Crazy Uncle Phil had a pond full of bass where he fished with handmade lures for “lunkers”. He planned to fish that day in March and perhaps take out his blue boat because he posted a picture of it early in the morning. 

His next post simply said, “Praying.” Then a picture of a chocolate lab in the water with “Good dog” typed over the picture.

The next picture: A TV screen with Drew Carey and a contestant on “The Price Is Right.” 

Then: “Why?” 

The next: “Did yours come with a sword?”