Doniphan man pleads guilty to fatally shooting brother-in-law

SALEM, Mo. — A Doniphan man preempted his upcoming murder trial by pleading guilty Wednesday afternoon to fatally shooting his brother-in-law during an apparent argument.

Ruhl

Benjamin Michael Ruhl entered his plea on a lesser murder charge in Dent County before Circuit Judge Kelly Parker after the state, represented by Ripley County Prosecuting Attorney Ted Thompson, filed another amended information with the court.

That single-count information charged the 38-year-old with the Class A felony of second-degree murder, also known as felony murder.

Ruhl pleaded guilty in connection to the death of Matthew D. Schrimsher, who, Thompson said, was killed during the preparation of the felony of unlawful use of a weapon.

“He came out exhibiting a firearm, namely a .243 (-caliber rifle),” Thompson said.

As part of plea negotiations, Thompson said, the state agreed to cap Ruhl’s sentence at 20 years. The maximum penalty for the charge is life, which is computed at 30 years.

“The state won’t recommend anymore than 20 years; we’re going to ask for 20,” said Thompson, who indicated Parker can sentence Ruhl “anywhere between 10 and 20 years.”

After accepting Ruhl’s plea, Parker ordered a sentencing assessment report be completed by Probation and Parole and set sentencing for 1 p.m. July 29 in Wayne County.

At that time, Thompson said, the state is expected to present victim-impact testimony from Schrimsher’s family.

“They know about the offer,” Thompson said. “I can’t say they’re absolutely OK (with it), but they accept that.”

The plea, he said, spares the family from “having to come and relive this at a trial.”

Ruhl originally was charged with Class A felony of first-degree murder, the Class B felony of first-degree assault, four Class D felonies of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and six unclassified felonies of armed criminal action.

Ruhl was supposed to stand trial June 12-13 before Parker in Wayne County, where his case earlier had been moved on a change of venue.

The alleged shooting took place at about 2:15 a.m. on July 31, 2017, at Schrimsher’s home, which is located off of Highway 60 West, near Highway C. Ruhl reportedly had been living there for about two weeks with his sister, Erin Schrimsher, and her family.

Ruhl is accused of firing a rifle as he was ascending a stairway from the home’s basement, and his shot allegedly struck Matthew Schrimsher through the door he was attempting to shut.

Schrimsher, according to earlier reports, was shot once in the right, lower abdomen. His cause of death reportedly was a gunshot wound to the pelvis.

After allegedly fleeing from the basement, Ruhl is accused of shooting at Schrimsher’s older brother, Roy, who was going to the end of the driveway to meet emergency personnel.

Four children, then ages, 15, 15, 10 and 9, were inside the home at the time Ruhl allegedly fired the shot, striking Schrimsher.

As far as a motive, “according to the family, Ben has been having some alcohol issues, and Matt and Erin took him in to help him,” Ripley County Sheriff Mike Barton earlier said. “An argument started … between Ben, Matt and Roy … and this is the outcome.”