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The trial of a man accused of murdering two Steak 'n Shake employees in November 2008 is underway.

23-year-old Oundre Akins allegedly killed the two employees during a robbery. Akins decided this week, to waive a jury trial and will allow the judge to decide his guilt or innocence. In exchange for that move, prosecutors took the death penalty off the table.

Prosecutors say Akins' brother, Anthony Akins was also involved in the crime. Anthony had murder charges reinstated after he refused to testify against his brother, and prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty is he is convicted.

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. (AP) - Two Southeast Missouri men are charged with first-degree murder in the death of a man whose body was found in a truck in a fast-food restaurant parking lot.

Stoddard County prosecuting attorney Russ Oliver says 29-year-old Matt Cook and 45-year-old Glen Scott Evans, both of Dexter, were charged Sunday in the death of 34-year-old Sean Crow of Bernie. Crow's body was found in a truck in Advance last Wednesday.

The Southeast Missourian reports the men were also charged with robbery and armed criminal action. They are being held in Stoddard County Jail.

Online court records do not show that either man has a lawyer.

Further details about the crime and cause of death have not been released.

 

 

ST. LOUIS (AP) -- Two men have been arrested in the death of a 27-year-old man who was found shot inside a Jennings home. St. Louis County police said Sean M. Hutchinson was fatally shot Thursday.

Prosecutors have charged with 25-year-old Anthony Primm and 24-year-old Bernard Eric Wilson III with second-degree murder and first-degree burglary. Both are being held in St. Louis County Jail on $500,000 cash bail. Online court records don't list lawyers for either men.

Prosecutors claim Primm entered the home through an attic vent and is accused of taking various items from the home when Hutchinson was shot.

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) - A South African prosecutor charges Olympian Oscar Pistorius with the premeditated murder of his model girlfriend.

The prosecutor said Tuesday that Pistorius shot 29 year old Reeva Steenkamp four times through the bathroom door of his home in a guarded and gated complex in the South African capital, Pretoria. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court the door had been broken open.

The family of the 26 year old Paralympian and Olympic athlete says police evidence will show there should be no murder charge in the Valentine's Day shooting.

Pistorius, in a gray suit, blue shirt and tie appeared grim and solemn in court. He nodded after the chief magistrate asked if he was well.

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A Missouri man facing a third murder trial after judges overturned two earlier convictions has been freed from jail and says he's overwhelmed.

Mark Woodworth walked out of the Livingston County jail at midday Friday and repeatedly said he was overwhelmed by the prospect of his new freedom. He thanked his friends and relatives for their support, hours after a judge's order releasing him on a $50,000 bond.

Woodworth has been serving a life sentence in the fatal shooting of Cathy Robertson, the wife of his father's farming partner. His latest conviction was thrown out in January when the Missouri Supreme Court ruled state prosecutors had failed to share evidence with Woodworth that could have helped his defense.

Attorney General Chris Koster quickly announced he would try Woodworth again.

The St. Clair County Cold Case Task Force has made their second arrest in a week today.

Charges have been filed against George Bricking Jr for the 1995 murder of Christine Foster. Bricking had been arrested in '95 but a grand jury determined there was not enough evidence to file charges.

The task force also arrested Carlos Garrett for the 1989 murder of a 16-year-old girl earlier this week.

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) - A Joplin man will face trial for first-degree murder after waiving a preliminary hearing in the killing of his estranged wife.

Thirty-five-year-old Rondias Webb waived the hearing Wednesday in Jasper County Circuit Court. He is charged in the Nov. 17 shooting death of 36-year-old Monica Webb.

Prosecutors say Monica Webb was shot inside the home where she had moved to get away from her husband. Police say Rondias Webb shot himself after shooting his wife.

The Joplin Globe reports Monica Webb had obtained a protection order against her husband in September after he was charged with misdemeanor domestic assault at an apartment they had shared. Two weeks before her shooting, Webb reported that her husband had violated the protection order.

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius has been arrested in the shooting death of his girlfriend, police and the woman's talent agent said Thursday.

Capacity Relations talent management firm said 29 year old model Reeva Steenkamp was the victim of the shooting.

Police spokeswoman Lt. Col. Katlego Mogale told The Associated Press that officers received a call around 3 a.m. saying there had been a shooting at the 26-year-old double-amputee runner's home in a gated housing complex in the capital, Pretoria. A 9 mm pistol was recovered and a murder case opened against Pistorius, who is to appear in court later Thursday.

South African media speculated that Pistorius may have mistaken the young woman for an intruder.

Steenkamp tweeted her excitement about Valentine's Day hours before the shooting.

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. (AP) - Three months after a woman's body was found at an eastern Missouri motel, a man has been charged in the crime.

KFVS-TV reports that 52-year-old Curtis Smith is already in prison for second-degree murder for another killing. Now, he is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Kristi Murphy.

Murphy's body was found in a bathtub at the Microtel Motel in Ste. Genevieve on Nov. 17. Smith was on parole at the time of her death.

Smith is jailed on $250,000 bond.

UPDATE:
Calvin Campbell, 32, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection to the case.

EARLIER:
A Jennings man is in custody after allegedly stabbing his girlfriend to death in front of her children.

It happened about 10:00 Tuesday night. It happened inside an apartment in the 9400 block of Dawn Court.

Police say the victim's two children witnessed the attack and then ran to a neighbor for help.

The names of the victim and suspect have not yet been released.

St. Louis County homicide detectives are assisting Jennings Police in the investigation.