Jessie M. “Tiny” and Richard “R.D.” Shepard From Marshall, Missouri - Murdered For A $70 Take
Perusing the web, I came across this article from the Boonville Daily News about a senseless and violent murder by three young men.
For a week, the killings of Richard “R.D.” and Jessie M. “Tiny” Shepard of Marshall have been described using words such as “violent,” “brutal” and “heinous.”I am covering this because the crime was committed by two minors, one of which appears to have planned the crime with the help of the other two accomplices. I also deem them as Idiots of the World as they went through all this trouble and only netted $70, which makes this a completely disgusting crime. I am not saying that it would be OK to murder someone for even $30 million, but it would make more sense. I am guessing that these three young men did not complete high school and did not have jobs - at least not that paid very well. If they had completed high school, maybe they would have thought this through more and maybe decided it was not a good idea. Sheesh, you could get more money from a local 7-11 heist than what these poor elderly folks had to offer - and no one would have had to die. I suggest that they had no jobs as they were so desperate for money that they murdered two innocent elderly people with no idea of what they had to gain from the ordeal. This excerpt from the article says enough about the status and common sense of these teens:But a probable cause statement filed in Saline County Associate Circuit Court over the weekend in conjunction with the arrests of three suspects takes the shocking nature of the crime to a new level - alleging the murders were planned in advance by a 16-year-old juvenile in cooperation with the two suspects named over the weekend, Spencer Tromont Anderson, 18, and Lyndale Devor Henderson, 17; that the trio, all from Marshall, planned who would search which rooms of the Shepards' home and who would inflict which injuries on the elderly couple; and the suspects drove by the home the previous night to inspect it and get an idea of the layout.
Anderson and Henderson were both charged with two counts of murder in the first degree along with armed criminal action, arson, burglary and stealing. The murder charges are class A felonies and carry a maximum sentence of death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.This is not something anyone should have to deal with and I hope these three young men get the maximum sentence available of life in prison. This is probably a surprise to those of you who follow my other posts where the death penalty is an option for sentencing. In this instance, I think these three should live the rest of their lives in prison so they can remember their ignorance and errors every day. If they are sentenced to death, they will not "pay" for their actions. I would also guess that they would be man-handled in prison for being so weak as to prey on the elderly.
Kudos to the multiple state and municipal deparments and members of the local community for working together to catch these teens.
Brad Bartlett, a detective sergeant with the Marshall Police Department and a member of the Missouri Rural Major Case Squad that had been working leads in the case, said investigators had good cooperation from the local community in providing leads and information in the case and, when asked what tipped authorities that the couple did not die as a result of a house fire as originally thought, would only say that it was “a group effort” that raised the theory the couple were murdered.My condolensces to the families of the this crime against Jessie and Richard Shepard. May they rest in peace together.Bartlett praised multiple agencies for their help in the case, especially the Missouri Rural Major Case Squad, which he said helped expedite making the arrests. He also praised those agencies from an eight-county area that provide personnel to the squad, investigators with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri State Fire Marshal's office, Saline County Prosecuting Attorney Don Stouffer and Coroner William W. Harlow.
Comments
please pay attention there is more victims here then the obvious.there is a person crying out for help there is such a thing as the accused being innocent there is such a thing as lies pay attention as things move on please. just because someone comes up with a story doesnt mean the story is true. dont forget that one of the three did plead not guilty. lets take a moment to think about the possibility that he could be not guilty. and its sad to say that that kid has been in jail for over 2 yrs now for a story that has never brought forth anything that puts anyone else there at all who says that hes telling the truth.you say this happened prove it show me. we are talkin about someones life and you let that kids life rest in the hands of a kid whos life was already unstable take his word without any thing to justfy prove to place said person on said premises at said time or that said persons finger prints of show prints or hair or blood or hair anything to prove that hes was there havent seen or heard of any such evidence. yet this kid that plead not guilty sits in jail for 2 yrs and its very strong possiblility hes innocent. wow! if your a kid never faced with such things have never seen this type of violence then if you did it you will crack soon as you find out they know you did it cuz your a kid natural to spill the beans when you know you busted but this one child holds strong to his innocence and nobodys payed any attention. imma leave you with this one thought.imagine one day things in your life are normal things are good life is ok then the cops come to get you and say you did something you didnt do. they take you away put you in jail and thats where youve been for the last 2 yrs scared dont know whats goin on why its goin on what happened that all of a sudden a non troubled kid gets thrown into this big mess of a case because of a story that just seems so made up. just think about the one that did plead not guilty. thats for a reason dont you think? already done spent 2 yrs of his life in jail gotta know the kid to know that he would not just sit in jail for no reason i didnt do it means i didnt do it. and continues to sit in jail for what a story that may not even be true. bad that a person can just take a persons freedom for nothing. im just askin that you anyone followin the story to pay attention.
Posted by: rachael stewart | June 28, 2008 04:08 PM
My great aunt was married to RD's Brother until he died in the mid-late 80's. RD and Tiny used to live across the street from my family in Lewis County, Washington State. Tiny used to baby sit my sister and I on numerous occasions when we were kids. They were both loving and caring individuals who contributed greatly to their family and friends. Needless to say, I was shocked and upset to hear of their deaths. My family here in Washington are very firm believers in Karma. We were interested to hear that the girl who was charged with obstructing justice in this case by providing a false alibi was hit by a car and died a while back. You know what they say... What goes around comes around.
Posted by: Ksea | July 27, 2008 05:56 PM