Delight man sentenced to 25 years for Pike County murder

DELIGHT — On Monday, August 22, 2025, Christian Buster, 31, of Delight, pleaded no contest to a charge of Second-Degree Murder related to the shooting death of Oscar Alba, 34, also of Delight. The conviction stemmed from an incident that took place on April 27, 2024, in Pike County.

The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division investigated the shooting, which occurred at Buster’s residence on Highway 26 East.

Buster was sentenced to 20 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections, with 10 years of the sentence suspended. In addition, he received a five-year enhancement for committing the crime with a firearm, to be served consecutively.

At the time of the shooting, Buster was employed as a jailer and dispatcher with the Howard County Sheriff’s Office.