Malden man charged in weekend murder apprehended

MALDEN — The search for a Malden man charged in connection with a weekend murder ended Monday morning when he was taken into custody without incident.

Authorities had been searching for Steven Michael Kirkwood, 38, since Saturday night when he is accused in the shooting death of Ryan Allen Lehnig.

“We were able to track some movements through phone pings,” explained Malden Police Chief Jarrett Bullock. “We located him at the Travel Inn in Marston, Missouri” between 8 and 8:30 a.m.

Bullock said his officers, along with members of the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol, responded to the Travel Inn.

“We knocked on the door; after some reservations, he opened the door and surrendered and was taken into custody without incident,” Bullock said. “He will be transferred to the Dunklin County jail at some point.”

Kirkwood was wanted on a no-bond warrant, charging him with the Class A felonies of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon, the unclassified felony of armed criminal action and the Class D felony of unlawful possession of a firearm.

The charges stem from an investigation by the Dunklin County Major Case Squad, which was activated after the Malden Police Department received 911 calls just before 9 p.m. Saturday reporting someone had been shot near the intersection of North Decatur and East Howard streets.

Within minutes, Malden officers responded and rendered aid to the victim, later identified as Lehnig, who was pronounced dead at 9:13 p.m. by Dunklin County Coroner James Powell, Bullock wrote in his probable-cause affidavit.

While on the scene, Bullock said, a witness was identified, who reported an altercation had occurred at a residence in the 200 block of North Decatur Street.

“The witness stated he was at the house having a birthday party, and the victim (Lehnig) was there as a guest,” Bullock said. “During the party, Steven M. Kirkwood came to the house, and he was invited into the residence.”

Once inside, Bullock said, Kirkwood asked the witness to make him a drink as he sat down on the couch.

“The witness stated he watched as Lehnig leaned over to Kirkwood and commented to him something like, he (Kirkwood) had been avoiding him; Kirkwood did not reply back,” Bullock said. “The witness said he observed Kirkwood with an unknown type of handgun, and he fired the handgun two times.”

The witness, Bullock said, further reported seeing blood and watched as Lehnig ran out of the house.

“The witness stated after Lehnig left … Kirkwood then walked out of the house and made a comment, ‘You don’t play like that,’” Bullock said.

Lehnig, according to Bullock, went to a residence on East Howard.

“He didn’t know those people; he was just looking for help,” Bullock said.

Authorities, Bullock said, believe Lehnig and Kirkwood had “some level of acquaintance,” but to what extent is not known at this time.

Bullock said the investigation is ongoing at this time.

“We’re working some continuous leads,” he said.

At the time of Kirkwood’s arrest, Bullock said, he had felony cases pending and warrants out for his arrest through Dunklin and New Madrid counties.

Bullock said Kirkwood also has a lengthy criminal history.

The unlawful possession of a firearm charges allege Kirkwood knowingly possessed a pistol at the same time he was a convicted felon.

Kirkwood has prior convictions for the felonies of resisting arrest in March 2015 and possession of a controlled substance in February 2018, both in Stoddard County, and the felony of possession of a controlled substance in December 2007 in Dunklin County.

With Kirkwood now in custody, Bullock expressed his thanks to the Missouri State Highway Patrol and its Division of Drug and Crime Control, Dunklin County Sheriff’s Department, the Kennett Police Department, Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance on the case.