Authorities say a highly intoxicated Brick's Off-Road Park patron died after being severely beaten inside the park Saturday night by the parents of a young boy he was accused of physically striking.
Joe Girard of Oak Ridge, Mo., was killed during the eighth annual Trucks Gone Wild event, which ran from Thursday through Sunday at the County Road 484 park.
An autopsy performed Monday morning by Dr. Russell Deidiker at Farmington, Mo., showed the 41-year-old died from asphyxiation, Butler County Coroner Andy Moore said.
"Even though Mr. Girard was physically assaulted and struck several times in the head and face area, that is not the cause of death, and it's very likely he would have survived those injuries," Moore explained.
Due to the blunt-force trauma directly to Girard's neck, Moore said, his hyoid bone was broken, and his larynx was fractured.
"These particular injuries rendered him unable to breath," said Moore, who indicated samples were taken for toxicology analysis. Those results typically take six to eight weeks to be returned.
Girard, Moore said, was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m. by Butler County Deputy Coroner Corey Crutchfield at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
On Sunday, Brenda Michelle Holt, 40, and Rickey Brunell Holt, 39, both of Bunker, Mo., were charged with causing Girard's death.
The Holts were charged with the Class B felony of involuntary manslaughter by Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher.
The complaints filed with the court allege the Holts, "with the purpose of causing serious physical injury to Joe Girard, caused the death of (him) by striking and kicking him."
The charges against the Holts stem from an investigation by the Butler County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control and Poplar Bluff Police Department.
After receiving the call, Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs said, deputies responded both to the park and hospital regarding an "individual (who) by that time was already being treated by the ambulance crew, and it was apparent he had been severely beaten."
The incident reportedly occurred at about 8:15 p.m.
Investigator Brandon Lowe, according to his probable-cause statement, went to the emergency room, where he learned Girard already was dead.
"I observed that he had severe facial injuries," Lowe said. "His eyes were swollen shut. He had lacerations on his forehead. There was blood around his mouth and nose."
Dobbs said Brick's security personnel had secured several witnesses, as well as the Holts, which "made things much easier."
Upon speaking with witnesses, "it became apparent the victim had been consuming alcohol pretty much all day, and by all accounts wasn't necessarily able to make good decisions," Dobbs said.
At some point, Dobbs said, Girard, who witnesses described as being highly intoxicated, "stormed through a camp and either punched or slapped a 12-year-old boy.
"Then, (he) began tearing up the camp, throwing items around, and the boy fled to a family friend, who was standing nearby," Dobbs said.
Another family friend, according to Dobbs, engaged in a physical altercation with Girard and "immobilized the victim by hitting him several times.
"I think, by that time, (Girard) was (on the ground) unconscious by what we gathered from witnesses," Dobbs added.
Soon thereafter, Dobbs said, the boy's mother and father, Brenda and Rickey Holt, "showed up at the camp site and began beating the man further."
At one point, Dobbs said, witnesses reported Rickey Holt "jumped on the man's head with both feet."
Brenda Holt, who Dobbs described as being intoxicated, "tripped over the unconscious victim, and that was perceived by the husband as (Girard) knocking her down when in fact she only tripped due to her intoxicated state.
"However, that fueled the beating even further, and the two continued to punch and kick the unconscious victim" mostly in the head area.
"At some point, some of the friends of the victim put him in the back of a truck and hauled him to an area where the ambulance (personnel)" were so they could treat him, Dobbs said.
Girard's friends, Dobbs said, had to fight "through a large crowd that had gathered to watch the beating."
Witnesses, he said, described the crowd as being so large that EMS would have been unable to reach Girard, who reportedly was in and out of consciousness during the assault.
According to Dobbs, everyone, with the exception of Rickey Holt, were cooperative were officers.
"Most everyone involved in the situation -- witnesses, suspects, victim ... was intoxicated," said Dobbs, who indicated officers interviewed "20 or more witnesses."
Lowe said he contacted the Holts at a park office, and each subsequently was told of his/her rights and interviewed.
"Brenda stated she was at her camp site when her son came running toward them across the field," Lowe said. "(She) stated that her son ... told her that a male subject had punched him in the face.
"Brenda stated her husband, Rickey, took off running where the alleged incident took place."
Lowe said Brenda Holt further reported she loaded her children into her vehicle and took off to that same location.
"Brenda stated when she got to where the victim was at, he was sitting up on the ground, covered in blood," Lowe said. "(She) stated she went over to him and asked him why he had hit her child.
"(She) stated the subject told her he had not hit her child, at which time, she kicked him in the head."
According to Brenda Holt's statement, Girard had "blood over all over his face," and his nose was bleeding and running down his face.
"When I asked Brenda why she kicked (Girard) in the head, she stated that she was upset over her child being assaulted," Lowe said.
Lowe said Rickey Holt also reported his son had been struck in the face by an unknown man.
"Rickey stated that he went to confront the subject, and when he got to where he was at, (Girard) was laying on the ground," having "been assaulted by Russell Morris and Wade Hampton," Lowe said.
Rickey Holt, Lowe said, reported when he saw Girard laying on the ground, he "'blacked out' and began to assault (Girard). Rickey stated that he punched (Girard) several times due to his son being struck."
When Lowe asked where Rickey Holt had struck Girard, "he stated in the face and head."
Rickey Holt, he said, denied Girard had said anything to him or fought back.
Lowe said Morris also was interviewed and allegedly Rickey Holt struck Girard about 20 times total.
"Morris stated Rickey punched Girard multiple times, got off of him, and after the confrontation with Brenda, Rickey struck Girard a couple more times," Lowe said. "(He) stated all of the blows were with a closed fist and to the head and face area of Girard."
Another witness, Lowe said, told officers he saw Rickey Holt "jump in the air and land with both feet on top of Girard," who already was laying on the ground.
"Defending yourself is one thing, but this is way outside the line," said Dobbs, who indicated officers did not see any visible injuries on the Holts' child.
"Half of the problem, there should never have been a 12-year-old body in that situation," said Dobbs. "It's a well known fact there is mass consumption of alcohol, nudity, fighting and all sort of dangers that a 12-year-old boy didn't need to be subjected to in the first place."
Dobbs said he was told attendance was 2,000 to 3,000.
The Holts, whose bond was set at $100,000 cash or surety, are out on bond at this time.
Prior to Brenda Holt posting bond on Monday, she appeared before Associated Circuit Judge John Bloodworth and was formally arraigned.
Bloodworth, according to Casenet, told the woman of her Constitutional rights, including her right to counsel.
Brenda Holt, who asked for more time to hire an attorney, is to appear at 9 a.m. Thursday for a counsel status in her case.
Rickey Holt is to be appear at 9 a.m. June 28 before Bloodworth for arraignment on his charge.