Piedmont man charged in mother's stabbing death

PIEDMONT — A Piedmont man appeared in court via video conferencing Monday morning after being charged with the stabbing death of his mother.

From inside the Wayne County Jail, Daniel Ross Adams made his initial appearance before Associate Circuit Judge Christina Kime.

“He was formally arraigned” and ordered to appear April 7 for the setting of his preliminary hearing, said Wayne County Circuit Clerk Darren Garrison.

Upon the public defender entering Adams’ case, Garrison said, a bond hearing “could be taken up prior to April 7.”

Adams currently is being held without bond.

The 32-year-old is charged with the Class A felony of first-degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action in the death of his mother, Gabrielle G. Gamble.

A Saturday morning autopsy found the 57-year-old died of multiple stab wounds, according to Wayne County Deputy Coroner Mark Smith. The autopsy was performed by Dr. Russell Deidiker at Farmington.

Authorities learned of Gamble’s death on Friday when the Piedmont Police Department received a call in reference to a well being check of Gamble.

Piedmont Sgt. Woodrow Massa and Chief Richard Sanders responded to the Dogwood Lane residence Gamble shared with her son, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jeff Johnson’s probable-cause affidavit.

The officers, Johnson said, contacted Adams and asked to speak to his mother.

“Mr. Adams told Sgt. Massa that his mother, Miss Gamble, had walked away from their residence three days previously and had not returned,” Johnson said.

Massa reportedly told Adams he needed to check the residence to determine if Gamble was not present.

Johnson said Adams gave the officers consent to enter the home to look for his mother.

“Sgt. Massa eventually found an item in the attached garage,” Johnson said. “The item was wrapped in carpet, covered with ties and sandbags.

“Upon closer inspection, Sgt. Massa felt what he believed to be a human foot.”

At that time, Johnson said, Adams again was contacted and handcuffed.

“During this time, Mr. Adams said to the officers, ‘That’s my mother back there. She hit me last night. I hit her back, and she died,’” Johnson said.

Adams later was interviewed by the Piedmont Police Department and reportedly told Johnson and patrol Master Sgt. Scott Stoelting he had beat and stabbed his mother inside their home.

“Mr. Adams further stated his mother struck him in the face, and he responded by hitting her in the head and knocking and pulling her to the floor of the residence,” Johnson said.

When Adams was asked whether he hit his mother with an object, “(he) said he swung a knife at her, but later said he stabbed her with it,” Johnson said. “Mr. Adams said once his mother was dead, he wrapped her in a sleeping bag, placed her in the garage and covered her with tires and sandbags.”

Johnson said Adams indicated he had cleaned the crime scene and washed the knife, as well as the clothing he was wearing at the time he allegedly committed the murder.

“During the course of subsequent interviews, it was determined no one had saw or spoke with Miss Gamble since Saturday, March 21, 2020, at approximately” 9 p.m.