Arraignment set for fatal shooting

~Shooting occured in Lilbourn early Saturday morning.

NEW MADRID - Arraignment is scheduled today for a man who claims he was defending himself when he shot and killed another man.

Richard R. "Ricky" Wilson, 53, is charged with second degree murder and armed criminal action for the shooting death of John P. Ervin. Ervin was pronounced dead at 1:24 a.m. Saturday at Missouri Delta Medical Center.

According to New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens, officers were notified of a shooting in Lilbourn shortly after midnight Saturday morning.

"Apparently there was an altercation between these individuals last week," said Stevens. The sheriff said that Friday night Ervin came to Wilson's residence on Baehr Road in Lilbourn uninvited and there was again a confrontation.

Although Ervin left the residence, he apparently was returning a short time later. According to Stevens, Wilson met Ervin in the street and shot him in the chest with a shotgun. After Ervin fell to the ground, Wilson apparently went to a neighbor's house and requested the neighbor call 911.

Lilbourn police were the first on the scene. Wilson was taken into custody at the scene and an ambulance was called for the victim.

Stevens said the gun was recovered. Also a knife was found at the scene.

The sheriff described Wilson as "very cooperative" and said he told officers he was defending himself when he shot Ervin.

Also Stevens noted that Wilson was involved in a fatal shooting in his home several years ago. Following a coroner's' inquest, the jury made conflicting findings of self defense and homicide and no case was filed.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted Lilbourn Police and the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department in the investigation. Stevens praised the cooperative effort of law enforcement adding, "we were able to wrap this up real quickly."

Wilson is being held in the New Madrid County Jail with bond set at $100,000. Arraignment on the charges is scheduled for 9 a.m. today in Division II of New Madrid County Circuit Court before Judge Charles Spitler.