By Allen Edmonds
A 33-year-old Grandview man is in custody and a 29-year-old female is dead following a Monday night shooting in the 200 block of Turner Road in Belton, according to police.
According to Lt. Mary Bruegge, police received a 911 call reporting shots fired at 9:16 p.m. Monday. Officers arrived within two minutes to find the victim, who had been shot in the head, and a male suspect, Wesley S. Wilson, who was detained by officers.
The victim, identified as Catherine Ashley of Grandview, was rushed to the hospital by ambulance, but she did not survive.
Wilson’s address was listed as the 7900 block of East 130th Court in Grandview, according to court documents.
Next of kin were still in the process of being notified this weekend, according to Belton Police Chief Scott Lyons.
The probable cause affidavit was initially sealed from the public by Prosecuting Attorney Ben Butler, but later released by Associate Circuit Judge James Eftink after a request was filed Thursday by The North Cass Herald.
According to the affidavit, Wilson and the victim, who were described as being in a romantic relationship, showed up at the Turner Road address together Monday evening. The scene was the home of a friend of Wilson’s, who is employed at the same place of business, according to the affidavit. The friend was a witness to the incident.
At some point during the visit, Wilson grabbed the witness’ gun and shot the woman in the face, according to the statement. The witness then called the police and held the defendant down. The victim also took the firearm away from Wilson. The weapon was recovered by Belton Police.
In a later interview with detectives, the witness told police he had arrived home from work and had taken his Baretta .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol off and removed items from his pockets before placing them on a table in his southeast bedroom, a room he calls his office, as was his routine.
He said Wilson had called him on his cellular telephone, and that he had heard a commotion at his front door. He said he then heard Wilson talking on his phone, inside the residence. Wilson then came into the room, arguing with the victim. The witness told officers he did not know what the argument was about.
He said he then noticed Wilson pick something up off a small table in his room. He did not know what Wilson picked up at first, but then realized he had picked up the pistol he had placed there earlier. He said he saw Wilson pull the pistol out of its leather holster, and rotate his body while racking the slide on the gun. He told officers that caused him to leap from his chair in an attempt to stop the defendant.
He said Wilson fired one shot, striking the victim in the face.
The witness said he immediately pushed Wilson into the closet door grabbed the pistol out of his hand and placed it in his front pants pocket.
He said he thought he heard Wilson say something about being poisoned by the victim.
Radio traffic during the incident Monday night indicated Wilson was claiming he had been poisoned with rat poison.
He was transported from the scene immediately to Belton Regional Medical Center by ambulance. An officer accompanying Wilson to the hospital reported that while en route, Wilson made a spontaneous utterance, “I took his pistol and shot her.”
Wilson’s previous criminal history included a prior conviction for first-degree robbery in Missouri, according to the affidavit.
He made his first appearance in Cass County Associate Circuit Court Thursday morning before Judge Eftink, who entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf and scheduled a bond hearing for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 20. Until then, he ordered Wilson to continue to be held on no bond in the Cass County Jail on charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.
During his brief Thursday hearing, which was held virtually from the jail, Wilson appeared in a wheelchair with no shirt and disheveled hair; with fabric, or a blanket covering his lap. He sat in a catatonic state, staring at the floor and making no response to questions asked of him.