By Jeff Lehr
jlehr@joplinglobe.com
NOEL, Mo. — A husband and wife were arrested Wednesday night in connection with the fatal shooting of their son-in-law on the streets of Noel, but they were released on bond a short time later without any charges being filed.
Jacob Boles, the Noel town marshal, said James L. Patterson, 47, and Kimberly D. Patterson, 45, were arrested and taken to the McDonald County Jail in connection with the shooting death Monday night of Marty E. Reece.
The Pattersons each posted $25,000 bond.
The marshal’s office and the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the shooting. Boles said his office turned in probable-cause affidavits and reports to the McDonald County prosecutor Thursday morning. The prosecutor’s office told the Globe that no charges would be filed Thursday while the reports remained under review.
Prosecutor Janice Durbin could not be reached for comment.
Reece was shot more than once a short distance from his home on Alexander Street. Boles declined to say how many times he was shot or by whom.
The Pattersons, who live in the Noel area, are the father-in-law and mother-in-law of Reece. Boles said their daughter, Jindy Patterson, 21, was married to Reece and they have a child. The young couple were getting a divorce at the time of the shooting, the marshal said.
Investigators have been weighing the validity of a self-defense claim in the case, according to Sheriff Robert Evenson. Neither the marshal nor the sheriff would comment Thursday on what led to the shooting or how it happened.
Boles said Reece’s wife and her father were present when an officer arrived Monday night and found Reece dead from gunshot wounds. A single handgun was recovered at the scene, he said. Boles said no other weapon was involved.
There has been some confusion over the victim’s age. The marshal’s office maintains that Reece was 32. The county coroner said Wednesday that identification in Reece’s wallet showed him to be 29. Boles insisted Thursday that the correct age is 32.
While Boles declined to say if a domestic dispute between Reece and his wife preceded the shooting, he said officers were called to their home two years ago for an alleged domestic assault.
Court records show that Jindy Patterson sought and obtained a protection order against her husband in April of this year. Boles said that order was still in effect at the time of the shooting.
The marshal said investigators remain uncertain as to whether the couple got back together recently. He said there has been some conflicting information on the matter.
“That’s still unclear to us — whether they were living together or not,” he said.
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