GREENVILLE — After hearing emotional victim-impact testimony Monday afternoon from the family of a Doniphan man who was killed in 2017, a judge sentenced the man’s brother-in-law to 20 years in prison for his shooting death.
Benjamin Michael Ruhl appeared before Circuit Judge Kelly Parker for sentencing after having pleaded guilty in May to the Class A felony of second-degree murder in connection to the death of Matthew D. Schrimsher.
The 31-year-old was killed during the preparation of the felony of unlawful use of a weapon.
At the time of Ruhl’s plea, the state agreed to cap the 38-year-old’s sentence at 20 years. The maximum penalty for the charge is life, which is computed at 30 years.
The state, represented by Ripley County Prosecuting Attorney Ted Thompson, presented victim-impact statements, as well as testimony from five witnesses. Ruhl also addressed the court prior to Parker handing down his sentence.
Erin Schrimsher testified her husband’s death has “effected every aspect of my life,” and her husband’s death has been difficult for her and her children.
“The kids is the worst part; I feel all of them have pretty severe trauma,” Erin Schrimsher said as she broke down into tears. “What they experienced will never go away in their minds.”
Four children, then ages, 15, 15, 10 and 9, were inside the home at the time Ruhl fired the shot, striking Schrimsher.
Erin Schrimsher confirmed she knew about the plea agreement, including the 20-year cap.
Upon questioning from Thompson, she agreed no amount of time served by her brother would bring her husband back.
Matthew Schrimsher’s older brother, Roy, also testified, indicating he understood the plea agreement, but “I don’t accept it. I never agreed to 20 years.”
Roy Schrimsher then went on to describe his brother as his best friend.
“He’s gone for something stupid,” Roy Schrimsher said. “My kids don’t have an uncle. His kids don’t have a dad.”
Roy Schrimsher said his family is suffering.
“His wife is suffering; my daughter sitting there is suffering,” said Roy Schrimsher, who was followed on the witness stand by his daughter, Khyla Schrimsher.
A tearful Khyla Schrimsher described how her life has been effected by her uncle’s death. She was among those inside Erin and Matthew Schrimsher’s home at the time the shooting occurred on July 31, 2017.
Khyla Schrimsher said she has had nightmares every night since the shooting.
“I wish that he would get more than 20 years; it’s (Matthew Schrimsher’s death) way more than 20 years of hurt,” she said.
Carrie Hurt, Matthew’s Schrimsher’s ex-wife, testified their son, Mason, has been in a “state of anger for over a year.”
“Any amount of time is not going to help” her son, said Hurt, who indicated Mason had turned 15 less than a month before his father’s death. “I don’t think 20 years is enough. … I don’t think it is fair.”
Hurt said her son couldn’t even attend Ruhl’s sentencing on Monday.
“We talked about it (Sunday) night” and again Monday morning, Hurt said.
Although Hurt thought her son should attend, she said, her son told her, “‘I can’t do it.’ He’s 17; I can’t force him to come.”
Hurt said her son, who also was inside the house when the shooting occurred, is in counseling for what she described as severe post-traumatic-stress disorder.
“It’s been a heck of a ride,” Hurt said.
Matthew Schrimsher’s death destroyed “not just my son. He lost contact with everybody. He shut himself down.”
Hurt described the father-son relationship as close.
“He’s fought with that; he thinks they weren’t close enough,” she said. “He’s got a lot of issues (with that). He felt he missed out of lot” on spending time with his dad.
“It was a big deal for Matt to see his son,” said Hurt, who indicated Matthew Schrimsher will not see his son graduate or any of his children grow up.
Shila Dale, Roy Schrimsher’s ex-wife, said her daughter, Khyla Schrimsher, has been changed by the events.
“She’ll wake up at 3 in the morning screaming and crying,” said Dale, who wiped away tears as she testified.
Like the others, Dale didn’t believe a 20-year sentence was enough for Ruhl.
“It’s not enough; it’s just not,” she said.
After listening to the victim-impact testimony, Timothy Fleener with the Public Defender’s Office indicated his client wanted to make a statement.
“I just want to tell everyone I’m sorry about what happened; I never meant to do it,” Ruhl said.
Thompson then told the court how this was “not a typical murder of one bad guy” killing another.
“Matt Schrimsher was a father, brother, uncle, son. His loss has shattered the family,” he said.
Ruhl, Thompson said, has admitted to drug and alcohol issues, but that does not “detract from what he’s done.”
Thompson said Ruhl has no criminal history, and Probation and Parole officials recommended he receive 19.8 years in prison in the sentencing assessment report they completed at Parker’s request.
That recommendation, he said, was close to the state’s 20-year cap.
Fleener agreed with Thompson in that the shooting was an egregious event to all involved.
“Ben said he never meant for it to happen,” Fleener said. “Things just got out of hand that night.”
Fleener said his client admits to having drug and alcohol problems, which could be helped by programs in the Missouri Department of Corrections.
Fleener said his client has no criminal history or any violence in his past, but “he does having a loving mother” that will help with his rehabilitation.
“He’s sorry for what he’s done,” said Fleener, who asked for a 16-year sentence.
Steve Sokoloff, who was a special prosecutor on the case, told the court Ruhl “took the life of a father, husband, uncle” inside the man’s own home.
Not only did Ruhl take a life, “he also destroyed the family … both sides,” Sokoloff said.
A 20-year sentence, Sokoloff said, is “by far the least (sentence) that was appropriate” for what originally was a first-degree murder case.