Man pleads guilty to murder of Golden man in 2015
October 18, 2017
Charlea Estes-Jones
The man accused of shooting a Golden man in his trailer in early June 2015 pled guilty last week, netting him a 20 year incarceration sentence for murder in the second degree and an additional three years for armed criminal action. Michael Beatty, 52, of Golden, pled guilty to the murder of Ed Smith, 68, of Golden.
Beatty was initially charged with first degree murder, attempted arson, armed criminal action, and tampering in the first degree. He was booked into the Barry County Jail in lieu of a $1,000,000 cash-only bond.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a caller informed the Barry County dispatch at 11:18 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9, that Smith had been killed and that the suspect, Michael Beatty, had fled the scene in Smith’s car. The caller also stated that Beatty was armed and that the caller was afraid for his life.
When officers arrived at the scene, Smith’s trailer on Farm Road 1255 in Golden, Barry County Sheriff’s Deputies Angela Cole and Bill Watkins found Smith under a pile of clothes and sheets soaked in gasoline on the bed in the trailer.
Officers immediately began a search of the area looking for Beatty or Smith’s car, a white 2013 Chrysler 200. A road block was set up at the Golden Post Office and a search began near Mayo Beach.
Smith’s car was located wrecked against a tree about three miles from the scene on Farm Road 2250, and Beatty was found hiding in bushes in the woods near the wreck. According to former Sheriff Mick Epperly at the time, Beatty was taken into custody by the Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 12:44 p.m. without incident.
Upon investigation, officers discovered that Beatty had been living with Smith at the trailer in Golden, and there had possibly been some type of altercation. Epperly said that Beatty had strangulation-type marks and bruising on his neck when he was taken into custody, but it was unknown as to the circumstances of the injuries.
A closer investigation of Smith’s body indicated that he had been shot multiple times in the head and possibly chest before having his clothes stripped and piled on top of him on the bed in the trailer. Deputy Watkins observed blood on the bedding as well as the walls of the bedroom in the trailer. According to the probable cause, a small pile of leaves had been set fire in the living room, but had gone out, making the arson attempt unsuccessful.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Beatty attempted to clean himself up before fleeing the scene. Epperly stated that Beatty also had a bag with him before wrecking near Mayo Beach in Smith’s car, leading them to believe that he was attempting to run.
Beatty was also charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, misdemeanor careless and imprudent driving, misdemeanor driving without a license and failing to wear a safety belt. According to an affidavit of probable cause by Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper T. Coffey, who was dispatched to the homicide of Ed Smith, 68, of Golden, Beatty had driven the victim’s car away and crashed it off the south side of Farm Road 2250 east of Farm Road 1247.
Beatty had fled the scene and was hiding in nearby bushes when he was found by the Highway Patrol and the Barry County Sheriff’s Department. Coffey noted in the report that the investigation determined that Beatty had been travelling too fast for the conditions and he failed to negotiate a left curve, leading to the crash against a tree.
After Beatty was arrested, Trooper Coffey attempted to administer tests to determine if he was intoxicated, but Beatty was uncooperative. He was reported to smell strongly of alcohol, have blood shot eyes and dilated pupils, according to the officers’ observations.
Those charges are still pending.
Beatty’s sentence began on Thursday, October 12.
Charlea Estes-Jones
The man accused of shooting a Golden man in his trailer in early June 2015 pled guilty last week, netting him a 20 year incarceration sentence for murder in the second degree and an additional three years for armed criminal action. Michael Beatty, 52, of Golden, pled guilty to the murder of Ed Smith, 68, of Golden.
Beatty was initially charged with first degree murder, attempted arson, armed criminal action, and tampering in the first degree. He was booked into the Barry County Jail in lieu of a $1,000,000 cash-only bond.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a caller informed the Barry County dispatch at 11:18 a.m. on Tuesday, June 9, that Smith had been killed and that the suspect, Michael Beatty, had fled the scene in Smith’s car. The caller also stated that Beatty was armed and that the caller was afraid for his life.
When officers arrived at the scene, Smith’s trailer on Farm Road 1255 in Golden, Barry County Sheriff’s Deputies Angela Cole and Bill Watkins found Smith under a pile of clothes and sheets soaked in gasoline on the bed in the trailer.
Officers immediately began a search of the area looking for Beatty or Smith’s car, a white 2013 Chrysler 200. A road block was set up at the Golden Post Office and a search began near Mayo Beach.
Smith’s car was located wrecked against a tree about three miles from the scene on Farm Road 2250, and Beatty was found hiding in bushes in the woods near the wreck. According to former Sheriff Mick Epperly at the time, Beatty was taken into custody by the Sheriff’s Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 12:44 p.m. without incident.
Upon investigation, officers discovered that Beatty had been living with Smith at the trailer in Golden, and there had possibly been some type of altercation. Epperly said that Beatty had strangulation-type marks and bruising on his neck when he was taken into custody, but it was unknown as to the circumstances of the injuries.
A closer investigation of Smith’s body indicated that he had been shot multiple times in the head and possibly chest before having his clothes stripped and piled on top of him on the bed in the trailer. Deputy Watkins observed blood on the bedding as well as the walls of the bedroom in the trailer. According to the probable cause, a small pile of leaves had been set fire in the living room, but had gone out, making the arson attempt unsuccessful.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Beatty attempted to clean himself up before fleeing the scene. Epperly stated that Beatty also had a bag with him before wrecking near Mayo Beach in Smith’s car, leading them to believe that he was attempting to run.
Beatty was also charged with misdemeanor driving while intoxicated, misdemeanor careless and imprudent driving, misdemeanor driving without a license and failing to wear a safety belt. According to an affidavit of probable cause by Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper T. Coffey, who was dispatched to the homicide of Ed Smith, 68, of Golden, Beatty had driven the victim’s car away and crashed it off the south side of Farm Road 2250 east of Farm Road 1247.
Beatty had fled the scene and was hiding in nearby bushes when he was found by the Highway Patrol and the Barry County Sheriff’s Department. Coffey noted in the report that the investigation determined that Beatty had been travelling too fast for the conditions and he failed to negotiate a left curve, leading to the crash against a tree.
After Beatty was arrested, Trooper Coffey attempted to administer tests to determine if he was intoxicated, but Beatty was uncooperative. He was reported to smell strongly of alcohol, have blood shot eyes and dilated pupils, according to the officers’ observations.
Those charges are still pending.
Beatty’s sentence began on Thursday, October 12.
