Additional charges filed in Advance shooting

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

BLOOMFIELD — An Advance man was charged Tuesday with murdering his brother-in-law who came to the aid of his sister during a domestic disturbance between the couple.

Melvin Dewayne Anderson III was charged by Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russ Oliver with the Class A felony of first-degree murder and the classified felony of armed criminal action (ACA) in connection with the shooting death of Tristan Davis of Advance.

The 27-year-old died Friday night from a gunshot wound fired from a 12-gauge shotgun.

Oliver also charged Anderson in the alternative with two Class A felonies of second-degree murder (death resulting from the perpetration of second-degree domestic assault and death resulting from the perpetration of first-degree kidnapping) and two ACA charges.

Anderson, 32, also is charged with the Class D felony of second-degree domestic assault, the Class A felony of first-degree kidnapping and the Class E felonies of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence.

The charges against Anderson stem from an investigation by the Stoddard Major Case Squad, which began at about 9:25 p.m. Friday when the Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department received a 911 call of shooting at a residence in the 22200 block of County Road 302.

“It was reported the husband (Anderson) was beating his wife, and her brother (Davis) came to stop him,” according to Stoddard County Detective Garry Brady’s probable-cause statement.

Anderson allegedly shot Davis and then fled the scene on foot, Bray said.

When Brady arrived, he said, he found Davis dead and a shotgun outside the residence.

Anderson’s wife, Shyla, and Anastasia Morgan, Brady said, were inside a vehicle.

Brady said Anderson was found several hundred feet down County Road 302 from the home and arrested. Anderson reportedly had his minor sons with him.

During the investigation, Brady said, Shyla Anderson reported she had told her husband a few days prior to Friday that she was going to leave him.

“For the next few days, Melvin pulled her around the house by her hair, threw her around and argued with her,” Brady said. “Melvin convinced her that if she left, she would not get to see her kids again, and he would have her put ‘on the third floor.’”

Brady said Shyla Anderson tried to leave the residence multiple times during the day “because she could not take it anymore. She begged and begged Melvin to let her leave.”

Shyla Anderson accused her husband of holding her from “leaving by wrapping his hands around her, squeezing her, causing her to fall to the floor,” Brady said. “Melvin held his hands over her mouth and also used a shirt to cover her mouth as she was screaming that she wanted to leave and for him to stop.”

Brady said the woman further reported her husband locked her in the residence.

“Around dark, Melvin left the residence for about 10 minutes to smoke marijuana …,” Brady said.

While he was gone, Brady said, Shyla Anderson called her mother in North Dakota at about 9 p.m. and asked for help.

When Melvin Anderson returned, his wife described his eyes as “wild.”

“… he locked the door again and told her she could not leave,” Brady said. “He was yelling and running through the house … About a minute later, Tristan showed up at the residence.”

At that point, Brady said, Shyla Anderson still was screaming and her brother broke a window and was banging on the door, saying, “‘Let me in. Let me in.’”

Brady Anderson said Shyla unlocked the door for her brother, so he could help her.

“After Tristan and Anastasia entered the living room, Tristan asked, ‘Why are you hitting on my sister’ then Melvin shot him just below the sternum,” Brady said.

Tristan, who was flanked by his sister and Morgan at the time he was shot, grabbed his side and said, “‘He shot me; I’m dead,’” Brady said.

Melvin Anderson left with the boys, while the women called 911 and tried to perform CPR on Davis.

“During the investigation, I observed severe bruising on the head, face, neck, shoulders, biceps, back and legs of Shyla,” Brady said. “(She) stated these injuries occurred from Melvin assaulting her …”

Brady said he spoke with Shyla Anderson’s mother, who reported receiving a call from her daughter, who “told her Melvin was beating her and she needed to get out of there.”

The woman, he said, further reported she tried to contact Morgan, but was unsuccessful, so she contacted Davis to “go get his sister because Melvin just ‘beat the ---- out of her … .”

Melvin Anderson was interviewed by Brady at the sheriff’s department.

“Melvin admitted to shooting Tristan, but claimed he did not know who was coming through the door,” Brady said.

Melvin Anderson, he said, also admitted to shooting Davis with a shotgun and to “holding Shyla against her will as she tried to leave the residence (and) causing injuries.”

Melvin Anderson, he said, further admitted to pushing his wife into a wall, causing her to fall and receive injuries, as well as “holding his hand over her mouth while she was trying to scream, causing injuries.”

Brady said Melvin Anderson also admitted to being under the influence of marijuana and methamphetamine at the time the events took place.

After his arrest, Melvin Anderson made his initial appearance before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield on Tuesday and was told of his rights.

Satterfield did not release Michael Anderson, who was being held without bond, from custody at that time of his initial appearance. He was to appear at 9:30 a.m. today before Satterfield for a bond hearing in his case.

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