KENNETT, Mo. -- The state filed the necessary paperwork Monday afternoon declaring its intentions to seek the death penalty in the case of a Malden, Mo., woman charged with the death of a man killed in an apparent attempted robbery.
Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey McCormick filed a notice to seek the death penalty with the Dunklin County Circuit Court in the case Brianna Bonaparte.
The 23-year-old is charged with the Class A felonies of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery and two unclassified felonies of armed criminal action.
She is accused of the Sept. 8 shooting death of Walter S. Lee, as well as forcibly stealing money from the man. The 39-year-old was found lying in the back yard of a residence in the 700 block of North Kimball Street.
Bonaparte was charged seven months later in connection with Lee's death.
In filing his notice to seek the death penalty, McCormick also filed a notice of statutory aggravating circumstances with the court.
The filing reportedly puts the defense on notice of what aggravating circumstances the state intends to rely on at trial.
The aggravating circumstance McCormick cited is:
* The murder in the first degree was committed while Bonaparte was engaged in the perpetration or was aiding or encouraging a person to perpetuate or attempt to perpetrate the felony of first-degree robbery.
The state, McCormick wrote, reserved the right to include additional aggravating circumstances as "may be warranted by additional review or investigation by the state."
According to earlier reports, the Dunklin County Major Case Squad was activated to investigate Lee's death. Lee, who reportedly died as the result of gunshots wounds, was found under a vehicle in the back yard.
During the investigation, officers learned Bonaparte was present at the residence at the time of the shooting and allegedly had removed a large amount of suspected marijuana inside the home before authorities arrived.
Bonaparte subsequently was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance.
While Bonaparte was in jail, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol Cpl. C.D. Hamlett's probable-cause statement, investigators learned she had spoken to a fellow inmate "concerning her role in Lee's homicide."
"(The inmate) stated that she was incarcerated when Bonaparte was brought into her pod" and later "noticed Bonaparte was visibly upset and cried frequently," Hamlett said.
The woman, he said, reported she had spoken with Bonaparte during their incarceration.
"Bonaparte told (the woman) that she had been dating Lee," Hamlett said. "(She) said Bonaparte told her that her (Bonaparte's) brother owed Lee an unknown amount of money.
"She said Bonaparte notified her brother of Lee's whereabouts on the night of the homicide."
Bonaparte allegedly told the woman her brother had "indicated he was going to rob Lee of drugs and money" and had enlisted the help of others to "take part in the robbery,' Hamlett said.
The woman, according to Hamlett, reported Bonaparte told her she had been in front of Lee's residence when her brother and the others arrived and an altercation allegedly ensued.
"During the altercation, several shots were fired, with the altercation ultimately ending up in the side yard of the residence," Hamlett said. "Bonaparte told (her cellmate) she heard multiple gunshots being fired."
Hamlett said Lee was struck numerous times during the gunfire. Emergency personnel were unable to resuscitate Lee.
Bonaparte's cellmate reported to investigators that "Bonaparte stated she was responsible for Lee's death," Hamlett said.
Bonaparte is to appear at 1 p.m. Sept. 25 before Associate Circuit Judge Joe Satterfield. A preliminary hearing date is expected to be set at that time.
Larry Thornton, who allegedly was involved in the crime by Bonaparte's brother, was facing the same offenses as Bonaparte, having been charged at the same time as she was; however, the 54-year-old Portageville, Mo., man's case reportedly was dismissed in late July.