Stories from Tuesday, May 15, 2018

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens declared victory as prosecutors abruptly dropped a felony invasion-of-privacy charge alleging he had taken a revealing photo of a woman with whom he has acknowledged having an affair. The St. Louis circuit attorney's office said it still plans to pursue the case, either through a special prosecutor or an appointed assistant. ...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) — A 49-year-old Missouri man who served nearly 20 years in prison for first-degree murder has been freed after a judge criticized how the homicide investigation was handled and the state's top prosecutor recommended that charges be dismissed...

SIKESTON — A Sikeston Junior High School teacher facing charges for his alleged sexual contact with a student issued a statement Tuesday through his attorney. Greg Newton Heuring, 47, of Benton is charged with one count of felony sexual contact with a student occurring on or around Oct. 20, 2017; and two counts of misdemeanor fourth-degree assault occurred on or around Oct. 15, 2017, and Feb. 15, 2018, according to online court records. The office of James McClellan, Heuring's attorney, released a statement on Tuesday.

SIKESTON — A Sikeston man was injured after being shot during an altercation at a convenience store over the weekend in Sikeston. At 9:14 p.m. Saturday an officer with Sikeston Department of Public Safety was patrolling and observed a disturbance at the front door of Westside Liquor, 889 West Malone Ave., in Sikeston, according to Lt. Austin Henley with Sikeston DPS...

LONDON, Ark. — Betty Sue Anthony, 83, of London, Ark., passed away, Saturday, May 12, 2018, at her home in London.   The daughter of Joe and Grace Pitman White, she was born April 14, 1935, in London. She was a graduate of Lamar High School class of 1952. She married Aaron Anthony on Nov. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. — Barbara Neal Blankinship, 81, died May 12, 2018, in Kewanee. Born Nov. 9, 1936, in Lilbourn, she was the daughter of the late Harry and Aline Leatherand Neal. She was married to Roy Alan Boyd, Don Baker and Bud Blankinship. Survivors include: three daughters and a son-in-law, Debby and Clarence Lyons of New Madrid, Diane Hadlock of Granite City, Ill., and Donna Baker of Kewanee; two sons and a daughter-in-law, Don Baker of Kewanee and Marshall and Erika Blankinship of Florida; two sisters, Sue Warren of Ohio and Sherrie Swindle of Louisiana; two brothers, Don Neal of Kentucky and Ricky Neal of New Madrid; and eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.. ...

CARROLLTON, Mo. — Leland Stanford “Lee” Stucker Jr. passed away on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at Life Care Center in Carrollton. Lee was the son of Leland Stanford and Geneva (Drury) Stucker, born on Sept. 8, 1929, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He graduated from high school in Matthews, Mo. Lee was a mechanic and handyman, who absolutely loved owning and operating his shop on Swift Street in North Kansas City, Mo. He liked to tinker on engines as well as on anything mechanical...

SIKESTON — James Allan Bain, 61, passed away on May 13, 2018, at his home in Sikeston. He was born July 30, 1956, in Sikeston, son of Mary Alice McMackin Bain and the late Louie Mack Bain. He was a 1974 graduate of Richland High School; he was a member of the Sikeston Church of Christ; he was a past member of the Sikeston Jaycees and a current member of the Big Prairie Jaycees in Matthews. ...

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri State Auditor Nicole Galloway announced a regularly scheduled audit of Scott County, located in southeast Missouri, is underway. The county’s most recent audit was released in December 2014, and received an overall performance rating of “fair.”...

MARSTON, Mo. - A shooting by an off-duty law enforcement officer was ruled self-defense. At approximately 8:40 p.m. Monday, New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department received a report of a person shot at a residence in Marston. At the scene, officers found a 42-year-old man in the yard with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, according to a news release from the Sheriff’s Department. The man was transported to a hospital by helicopter where he remains in stable condition. ...

NEW MADRID, Mo. - A jury deliberated just over 40 minutes to find a man guilty of multiple charges including the possession of a stolen handgun. Marquon Akeem Davis, 28, of New Madrid was found guilty of the felonies of unlawful possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property and unlawful use of a weapon and the misdemeanor of resisting arrest. Judge Fred Copeland, who presided over the May 10 trial, set sentencing for 1 p.m. June 12...

SIKESTON — John T. Hatchett, 58, died May 12, 2018, at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston. Born Dec. 30, 1959, in Tunica, Miss., son of the late Acie Dixon and Jewell Hatchett Dixon. he worked for Rex Lambert for many years doing farm work. He also trained dogs and horses and was of the Baptist belief...