December 20, 2023

KENNETT — A Poplar Bluff man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for his part in the 2018 death of a Malden man. David Lee Anderson, 35, was sentenced Monday by Senior Judge Fred Copeland in Dunklin County. Anderson was sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder and 10 years in prison for unlawful use of a weapon...

KENNETT — A Poplar Bluff man has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for his part in the 2018 death of a Malden man.

David Lee Anderson, 35, was sentenced Monday by Senior Judge Fred Copeland in Dunklin County. Anderson was sentenced to 25 years in prison for second-degree murder and 10 years in prison for unlawful use of a weapon.

He was found guilty of the charges following a one-day trial Oct. 23 in the shooting death of Geoffrey Wright, 46.

Wright was found March 28, 2018, lying unresponsive across the front seat of a still-running Chevrolet Equinox. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The vehicle was parked behind a North Kimball Street residence in Malden.

Authorities at the time said an eye witness identified Anderson as the alleged shooter.

Anderson was arrested March 30 without incident at a home in Hayti Heights.

An eyewitness said Wright was shot after a brief conversation with Anderson, which became heated.

In sentencing Anderson, Copeland considered the defendant’s prior convictions for assault and robbery, Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Jain said in a press release.

Jain thanked the Malden Police Department, Dunklin County Sheriff’s Office, and Missouri State Highway Patrol for their work investigating and solving this case.

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