SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was sentenced Friday morning to 59 years in prison on multiple felonies, including a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of a good Samaritan who had given him a ride.
Joseph Wade Wisdom appeared before Circuit Judge David Jones for sentencing, after having pleaded guilty to the Class A felony of second-degree murder, two Class B felonies of first-degree assault, two Class B felonies of unlawful use of a weapon and the Class D felony of unlawful use of a weapon.
The 34-year-old preempted his June trial by pleading guilty to the shooting death of Stahl Lee Sturgeon on March 8, 2016, as well as the exhibiting of a weapon and/or firing shots at Joshua Joplin, Melanie Shands and Sharon Wagner.
"As to the murder in the second degree, I recommended 25 years" in prison, explained Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher. "As to the unlawful use of a weapon in reference to victim, Melanie Shands, I recommended a four-year prison sentence."
As to the unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree assault charges regarding Joplin, Oesterreicher said, he recommended a 15-year prison sentence on each one.
Oesterreicher said he made the same 15-year recommendations regarding the unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree assault charges as related to Wagner.
Oesterreicher's recommendations were the maximum punishment on the assault and weapons charges.
"I argued that all (the sentences) should be consecutive, which would be a total of 89 years," Oesterreicher explained.
The defense, he said, basically left sentencing up to the court, but "they were wanting the minimum and everything to run concurrent."
The court, Oesterreicher said, "went along with the 25 years, the four years and 15 years on each of the other counts, but the court (ordered) the two 15-year sentences on Joshua Joplin to be run concurrently and the two 15-year sentences on Sharon Wagner to be run concurrently, but consecutive to the murder and consecutive to the four years.
"That comes out to 59 years."
Oesterreicher said Wisdom will have to serve 85 percent of his sentences on the murder and assault charges before he will be eligible for parole.
As part of plea negotiations, the state dismissed five unclassified felonies of armed criminal action.
Prior to sentencing Wisdom, Oesterreicher said, the judge heard testimony from Joyce Keathley "as to the impact of the loss of her son (Sturgeon).
"I think it let the judge know what our position was."
According to Oesterreicher, Keathley said, the outcome "did not make up for the loss of her son, but she felt satisfied with the sentences he got."
Wisdom pleaded guilty in connection with an incident, which involved the death of Sturgeon, who was found dead inside his Toyota Camry on the parking lot of the Walmart Supercenter.
According to earlier reports, Sturgeon died inside his car of gunshots to the neck and chest.
Authorities initially believed the 50-year-old Doniphan, Mo., man had been shot inside his car on the Walmart Supercenter parking lot. However, as officers pieced together witness statements, they learned the alleged shooting actually happened on Highway 67 South.
Based on the investigation, officers say Sturgeon picked Wisdom up on the side of Highway 160 near Hillview sometime before 7 a.m.
While apparently en route to Poplar Bluff, authorities believe Sturgeon retrieved a large-caliber handgun from the car's center console when Wisdom allegedly began displaying erratic behavior and a struggle ensued, resulting in multiple shots being fired inside the car.
Wisdom then allegedly fired shots at passing motorists before attempting to remove Sturgeon from the car.
Unable to do so, Wisdom then drove himself to Walmart while seated in Sturgeon's lap.
Wisdom subsequently was arrested when Poplar Bluff police officers found him lying prone inside Walmart's north entry doors after their arrival at 7:10 a.m.
When officers checked Sturgeon's car, parked in a driving lane about 25 yards from the Market entrance, he was found belted in and slumped over in the driver's seat.
When Wisdom was interviewed after his arrest, he reported he had been using methamphetamine and had not slept in "some time." He also alleged he had been given "some 'bad dope.'"