Man found guilty of murder in Stoddard County

STODDARD COUNTY, Mo. (KBSI) – A jury found a man guilty of murder and other charges late Friday evening.

Melvin D. Anderson was found guilty of Class A felony second degree murder of Tristan Davis, unclassified felony – armed criminal action, Class D felony – second degree domestic assault of Shyla Anderson and Class E felony – unlawful use of weapon while intoxicated.

The verdict was reached late Friday evening on March 31.

On June 28, 2019, in rural Advance in Stoddard County, Shyla Anderson was domestically assaulted by the defendant.

Shyla’s brother Tristan Davis went to her aid. When he entered Shyla’s home, Anderson murdered Tristan Davis by knowingly shooting him without lawful justification, according to the Office of the Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney.

The defendant committed the felony homicide by and with the use of a deadly weapon, specifically a .12 gauge shotgun, constituting the crime of armed criminal action, according to the prosecutor’s office.

At the time the defendant committed these violent offenses, he was intoxicated by drug use, constituting the crime of unlawful use of a weapon by intoxication, according to the prosecutor’s office.

Stoddard County Prosecutor Sawyer Smith, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney LeAnn Ryan, and Special Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kacey Proctor represented the state of Missouri.

The criminal investigation was led by Stoddard County Sheriff’s Department and supported by Advance Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol.

“This was a complex, difficult, emotional case that was won by great teamwork,” Stoddard County Prosecutor Sawyer Smith said in a statement posted on the prosecuting attorney’s Facebook page. “Law enforcement I would like to specially thank includes SCSO Detectives Garry Brady and John Atkinson, MSHP DDCC Investigator Alex Lacey, Advance Police Officer Brandon Throop, and Stoddard County PA Investigator Justin Allen. I would like to thank all of the SCPA staff and everyone else who had a hand or played a role in bringing the defendant to justice. In my closing argument I asked the jury to have the ‘courage to convict’ and they did. I thank the jury yet again for their service and just verdict based on all the evidence, their reason, common sense, and deliberation. No amount of years in prison can ever bring back the victim who lost his life, or completely heal the victim who suffered her injuries, or restore the victims family as it was before, but the heavy sentencing the defendant is likely to receive will mean accountability for his criminal conduct. In a few weeks a sentencing hearing will be held and defendant faces sentencing by the Honorable W. Ed Reeves, Circuit Judge Presiding.”