Washington state man faces drug, murder charges

news@standard-democrat.com

CHARLESTON -- A man arrested Wednesday on drug and murder charges related to a fatal shooting in Charleston is in the Mississippi County Detention, but officials are reportedly still seeking the shooter.

A cash bond of $1 million was set for Andra R. Phillips Jr., 33, of Puyallup, Wash. Phillips is charged with second degree murder, a class A felony, and a class A felony charge of distributing a controlled substance near public housing.

Phillips is set to be arraigned before Associate Circuit Judge T. Lynn Brown at the Mississippi County Courthouse Wednesday morning, according to Case.net.

At 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Charleston police responded to a report of a shooting at 706 Grand Ave., according to Robert E. Hearnes, director of the Charleston Public Safety.

Gregory Gary, 27, of Tacoma, Wash., was pronounced dead at the scene, Hearnes said.

The Missouri Highway Patrol is assisting in the ongoing investigation.