KENNETT, Mo. — Two teenagers pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting another teen, who authorities say was beaten over a dispute involving money and drugs.
Malcomb Townsend McBride, 19, of Malden and Jordan Paul Morgan, 19, of Bernie pleaded guilty to the Class E felony of third-degree assault, according to Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Nicholas Jain.
With their pleas, the teens admitted they acted alone or knowing in concert to cause “serious physical injury to Dante Gibson by striking or kicking him.”
Gibson, 17, died of his injures on Oct. 21.
Jain said the teens entered their pleas before Presiding Circuit Judge Robert Mayer, who sentenced each one to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
“They pleaded guilty per an agreement, and the felony murder, they were charged with second-degree felony murder, and that was dismissed,” Jain said.
As part of the agreement, Jain said, the teens also “agreed to take the maximum sentence on the assault in the third-degree.”
The teen’s codefendant, Jalen Dashawn Miller, 18, of Malden, is to appear before Mayer on March 27 for plea or trial setting in his case.
Miller is charged with the Class A felony of second-degree murder and the Class E felony of third-degree assault.
Jain said he agreed to enter into plea negotiations after Gibson’s autopsy report was received last month.
Both Gibson’s cause and manner of death were ruled as “undetermined,” said Jain, who explained the teen’s death was not ruled as a homicide.
“The autopsy found some contusions and abrasions to (Gibson’s) head that lacked cranial fractures or trauma that would be fatal,” Jain said. “Additionally, the other abrasions lacked internal injuries.”
Jain described it was a “very tragic death” when a 17-year-old is killed, “but for someone to be found guilty of felony murder, (the victim) has to have been killed during the penetration of felony or flight from a felony.”
Jain said there has to be a “causal connection. … The cause (of death) has to be related to that felony.”
Jain thanked the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Malden Police Department for “their work on this case in trying to determine the truth of what happened that night.”
According to earlier reports, Malden officers responded at about 3:35 a.m. Oct. 21 to a report of an unresponsive male at a residence in the 100 block of West Cleveland Street.
Gibson was found unresponsive, laying on the home’s front porch, Malden Chief Jarrett Bullock wrote in his probable-cause statement. The teen had what were described as abrasions on both sides of his face and head.
Emergency responders began CPR on Gibson, who later died at SoutheastHEALTH in Dexter.
During the investigation into the teen’s death, Bullock said, officers spoke to two witnesses, who reported Gibson had been in an altercation with multiple people, including McBride and Morgan.
McBride, Morgan and Miller also were interviewed.
McBride, Bullock said, reported they had been in contact with Gibson by social media messaging and had made arrangements to meet Gibson near his home.
McBride alleged Miller and Morgan had been involved in an ongoing dispute with Gibson over money/drugs, Bullock said.
“McBride indicated that he was the one who had messaged the victim for the purpose of distributing marijuana,” Bullock said.
After the teens arrived at a Beckwith Street location, Bullock said, McBride reported a physical altercation began with Gibson.
“McBride said the victim ran away from Miller and Morgan as the fight progressed,” Bullock said. “At the conclusion of the fight, McBride stated the victim was on the ground, Morgan ran from the scene, and Miller returned to the car, and they drove away.”
Miller, according to Bullock, admitted to punching Gibson in the ribs, as well as kicking the teen while he was on the ground.
“Miller said Morgan struck the victim numerous times,” Bullock said.
In Morgan’s interview, the chief said, the teen reported their intentions were to “steal the money, which … would be payback for the money” allegedly owed by Gibson.
Morgan, Bullock said, alleged both he and Miller “got on one side of Dante, and the two of them both punched him in the face with a closed fist.
“Jordan said as they were assaulting Dante, Dante’s arms went limp …”