Father on trial in connection with son's shooting death

BLOOMFIELD -- Jury selection began Monday in the trial of a Catron father accused of fatally shooting his son while apparently high on bath salts.

Court officials say about 100 Stoddard County residents were expected to report to the courthouse to begin the selection process at 2 p.m. Monday in the trial of 40-year-old Charles C. Goforth.

Once seated, the jury will hear the case against Goforth, who is standing trial on second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges before Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer.

The trial is slated to run through Friday.

Goforth is accused of the May 5, 2012, shooting death of his 20-year-old son, Patrick Joseph Goforth.

The shooting occurred inside the Goforth home in the 2500 block of County Road 791.

The younger Goforth, allegedly shot in the head by his father, died at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston.

Earlier preliminary hearing testimony from another of Charles Goforth's sons, Josh Goforth, indicated their father had been using bath salts for four to six months and, as a result, he "thought he was seeing people."

The elder Goforth, according to Josh Goforth's testimony, began carrying a gun, and once or twice, he had fired at the "imaginary people."

At one point, Josh Goforth said, his father, whom he described as "strung out," came to his place of employment and "gave us some money not to come home because he didn't want to shoot us."

The brothers reportedly had been staying at the Catron home with their parents for about a week or week and half before the shooting.

On May 5, 2012, the brothers, along with a friend, reportedly had been fishing, and Patrick Goforth had gone inside the house to shower and change. A short time after the elder Goforth entered the home, his son reported hearing gunfire.

The younger Goforth found his brother with an apparent gunshot wound. His father allegedly admitted to him he fired the shot.