GREENVILLE, Mo. -- A Greenville man has been charged in connection with the shooting death of his landlord after an apparent altercation between them escalated and turned physical.
Joshua Lawrence Oldham, 36, was charged Monday with the Class A felony of second-degree murder, the unclassified felony of armed criminal action and the Class C felony of unlawful possession of a firearm by Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Jackson.
Oldham is accused of causing the death of Marshall Lucas "Luke" Helm Saturday by shooting him with a handgun.
An autopsy was performed Monday on the 38-year-old Silva, Mo., man by Dr. Russell Deidiker at a Farmington, Mo., hospital, according to Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch.
"He had three gunshot wounds ... one in the left arm, one in the left cheek and one in the right side ... that was the fatal one," explained Finch, who was acting coroner and attended the autopsy
During the autopsy, Finch said, Deidiker recovered 38-caliber bullets.
Samples, he said, also were taken for toxicology analysis. Those results typically take six to eight weeks to be returned.
Wayne County authorities learned of Helm's death after they were called to his parents' home on Highway E, about 6 1/2 miles east of Business 67, at about 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Finch said.
Helm, according to Deputy John England's probable-cause affidavit, was found lying on the ground in the driveway near the carport of the home.
England said he spoke with Helm's nephew, Austin Helm, who reported his family was having a barbecue during which Oldham, known as "Worm," stopped by to pay his uncle money he owed.
"Austin said when he first noticed a physical altercation between Marshall and Joshua, he observed Joshua pushing Marshall," England said. "He said Marshall and Joshua were fighting, and he tried to pull Marshall away from Joshua."
The younger Helm, England said, further reported Oldham was able to get away and ran to his vehicle.
"He said Joshua got in his own vehicle on the driver side and sat down," England said.
The driver's side door reportedly still was open on Oldham's 1998 Nissan Altima.
"Austin said Marshall had gone to Joshua's vehicle and was standing near the front left quarter panel of Joshua's vehicle when Joshua fired four shots at Marshall," England said. "(He) said Joshua fired the shots through the driver-side window of his vehicle, striking Marshall, who fell to the ground."
The shots allegedly were fired through the rolled-up window, said Finch, who indicated officers recovered a bullet from a vehicle, which was parked on the property near the carport.
After allegedly firing the shots, England said, Oldham fled the scene in his car.
"We had put a stop and hold on the vehicle he was driving," Finch said. "He was located on A Highway at the Carter/Wayne County line."
Finch said the Ellsinore city marshal arrested Oldham at 8:56 p.m., and he subsequently was taken into custody by a Wayne County deputy.
After his arrest, Finch said, Oldham was interviewed by an investigator with the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control
"He admitted to shooting the victim," Finch said.
During the investigation, England said, he also interviewed Marshall Helm's mother, Judith, who indicated her son had drunk "around 12 small cans of diet beer," but "was not impaired."
The woman further reported Oldham arrived at her home regarding an issue of rent money owed her son and both men subsequently exited the home.
"She said within a few moments Joshua and Luke could be heard yelling," England said.
Judith Helm, he said, indicated she could not understand what was being said.
When the woman exited her home, England said, she saw Oldham sitting on the concrete and her son standing over him.
At that point, "Joshua got up and ran towards his car," England said. "She said Joshua got a handgun from his vehicle and yelled at Luke," calling him a derogatory name before alleging shooting him.
In an interview with Oldham's girlfriend, Chelsea Schrader, England said, he was told Oldham had received a voice mail from Marshall Helm at about 5:40 p.m., asking him to "stop by and talk."
Finch described Oldham and Marshall Helm as having been "acquaintances for years."
The residence Oldham was renting, Finch said, is located in close proximity to the home where the shooting occurred.
After getting the message, Schrader reportedly told England she, Oldham and his 7-year-old old arrived at the elder Helms' residence within minutes.
"She said all three of them went inside the residence, and Luke told Joshua he wanted the rent money that was owed to him by Joshua," England said.
Oldham, according to Schrader's statement, told Marshall Helm he did not have the money at the time, but "would try and get some of the money" that night.
England said the woman further reported they left, went to a Silva residence, where a man "wrote Joshua a check for some work (he) had done for him."
After cashing the check, Schrader reported they returned to the Highway E residence at about 6:30 p.m.
Upon their arrival, Oldham reportedly entered the home alone, while Schrader and his son remained in the car.
"Chelsea said Joshua wasn't inside the house very long before he came running out, and Luke was running out right behind him," England said. "She said Luke grabbed Joshua once they were outside the residence, but still under the carport."
Schrader accused Marshall Helm of pinning Oldham up against a truck, which was parked under the carport.
"Chelsea said she exited the vehicle and began yelling for Luke to let Joshua go," England said. "She said Luke pushed Joshua to the ground, and Joshua fell down near a motorcycle."
England said Schrader further reported she went back to the car and started it.
"She said she yelled at Joshua: 'Let's go.' She said Joshua was able to get away from Luke" and ran to the car; however, he did not get in, England said. "... instead, he retrieved a handgun from between the driver's seat and the center part of vehicle.
"She said Joshua shot Luke four times through the driver-side window of his vehicle."
Schrader reportedly got out of car when Oldham allegedly grabbed the gun.
At the time Oldham allegedly fled the scene, he left his girlfriend behind; however, his son still was in the car, Finch said.
The child, the sheriff said, was not in the car at the time of Oldham's arrest.
"He took him to his mom and dad's house at Ellsinore and dropped him off," Finch said.
Most of the witnesses, with the exception of Oldham's girlfriend, provided similar accounts, Finch said.
"They (the defense) are going to claim self defense, I'm in fear for my life," said Finch, who indicated the shooting wasn't pre-planned.
"He was there; it happened (but) he did go to the car and retrieve the gun from the car," Finch said.
Officers, he said, are continuing their search for the murder weapon.
At the time of the alleged shooting, Oldham was a convicted felon, having previously had been convicted of the felony involuntary manslaughter in March 2002 in Jefferson County and the felony of receiving stolen property in January 2000 in Osage County.
Oldham, who is being held without bond in the Wayne County Jail, is expected to be arraigned Thursday before Associate Circuit Judge Randy Schuller.