GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A Greenville man preempted his murder trial Monday morning by pleading guilty to a lesser charge in connection with the 2015 death of a man found lying next to his overturned all-terrain vehicle.
Steven E. Jennewein was supposed to stand trial this week on the Class A felony of first-degree murder and the unclassified felony of armed criminal action (ACA) before Circuit Judge Sidney Pearson II.
The 37-year-old was accused of acting with others to cause the Feb. 1, 2015, shooting death of John Fowler.
A St. Peters, Mo., resident, Fowler most recently had been staying at the Heaven's Hope Campground in the Hiram area. He was found dead on a county road near the private campground.
"Mr. Jennewein had the least involvement in the homicide," explained Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Jackson. "He was asked to make a phone call to get the victim to a certain place at a certain time.
"The victim was then shot from ambush by someone else."
After Jennewein, according to earlier reports, contacted Fowler by phone to make arrangements for a narcotics transaction, the man allegedly was shot multiple times allegedly by Michael Burkman.
Since Jennewein had the least involvement, Jackson said, the state agreed to a plea to a lesser charge.
"His involvement was the least serious of the three people charged," Jackson said. "One pleaded to murder second, and the shooter is waiting trial."
Jennewein's plea took place before the jury selection process began Monday.
"We had the jury ready to bring in and seat for voir dire," explained Wayne County Circuit Clerk Darren Garrison. "(The state) threw out an offer, and (the defense) took it."
An amended information will be filed with the court charging Jennewein with the Class C felony of involuntary manslaughter, said Garrison, who indicated Jennewein pleaded guilty as charged to that offense.
A second count of ACA was dismissed by the state, Garrison said.
After accepting the plea, Garrison said, Pearson sentenced Jennewein to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, "concurrent with what he's already serving in DOC."
A Probation and Parole official said Jennewein, who pleaded guilty to the Class B felony of second-degree drug trafficking in Washington County in 2005, has been in prison since July 21, 2016, after violating his parole on a 10-year sentence.
Jennewein, according to his attorney, Tim Fleener with the Public Defender's Office, had "maintained his innocence on the murder.
"He said he did not know Michael Burkman was going to quote 'kill that guy.'"
As originally charged, Fleener said, his client was facing life imprisonment and an unlimited number of years on the ACA.
The state, he said, offered 10 years on a plea of second-degree murder, but "he wouldn't budge. He said he didn't know what was going on."
Fleener said the state came back with an offer of seven years on an involuntary manslaughter charge "that was going to run concurrently with what he is already serving, which is not much less.
"That's when he decided to plea because he was reckless in making that phone call. That's what it really came down to; it was that."
Fleener said the offer was one Jennewein "could accept and feel good about."
Jennewein's plea, Fleener said, was not contingent upon his testifying against Burkman.
"He's all done," Fleener said.
Burkman is charged with the Class A felony of first-degree murder and unclassified felony of ACA in connection with Fowler's death.
A 50-year-old Cape Girardeau, Mo., resident, Burkman had been staying in the Lowdnes area and reportedly was involved in an ongoing altercation with Fowler. Burkman allegedly threatened to kill Fowler and later told three separate people he had killed him.
Burkman is to appear at 3 p.m. Nov. 21 in Crawford County before Circuit Judge Kelly Parker for a hearing on pending motions, including a motion to suppress.
A third man also faced the same charges as Burkman and Jennewein in connection with Fowler's death; however, he pleaded guilty to a lesser murder charge in June 2016.
Brandon Norman, 27, of Lowdnes pleaded guilty to the Class A felony of second-degree murder.
Norman provided Burkman with transportation the day of the suspected murder by dropping him off in a wooded area near the paved highway and returning later to pick Burkman up.
Norman is to appear Monday before Parker for sentencing, but his sentencing has been continued several times since he reportedly is "cooperating" with the state in its case against Burkman.
At sentencing, Norman faces a punishment range of a minimum of 10 years in prison to a maximum of 30 or life, which is calculated at 30 years.