Jerry Evans of Lepanto, Ark. holds a 4.87-carat diamond he found at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. (Courtesy/Arkansas State Parks)A Lepanto man recently discovered that a stone he found at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro last spring is actually a 4.87-carat diamond.
Jerry Evans, who was visiting the park for the first time with his girlfriend, said he picked up the pyramid-shaped stone on top of a plowed ridge within 10 minutes of entering the park. He said he initially mistook the near-colorless, jellybean-sized stone for a piece of glass.
Evans said he was encouraged to contact the park about his find by his son who had recently read an article about a past discovery. Unsure of its true nature, he sent the stone to the Gemological Institute of America for identification, where it was confirmed as a diamond. Evans named the diamond the “Evans Diamond.”
A 4.87-carat diamond that was found at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro is shown in this photo provided by the Arkansas State Parks department. (Courtesy/Arkansas State Parks)Waymon Cox, assistant park superintendent, said Evans’ discovery is significant as it’s the largest find registered at the park since a 9.07-carat diamond was found in 2020.
As Dec. 19, 798 diamonds have been registered at the park in 2023, totaling over 125 carats. On average, one to two diamonds are found daily by park visitors, according to a press release.
