Missouri Teen Charged with First-Degree Murder After Fatally Shooting Adoptive Father

October 2, 2024

MISSOURI: A shocking domestic violence incident unfolded in Missouri when an 18-year-old man fatally shot his adoptive father and calmly called 911 to report the crime.

Carter Joshua Curtis allegedly shot 41-year-old John McMurphy with a rifle late Saturday night at their residence in Adrian. McMurphy's wife, who was awoken by the gunshot, encountered Curtis in the hallway, where he handed her the rifle and stated, "I already called 911 and I had to do it."

Curtis then fled the scene on foot, leaving McMurphy's wife to discover her husband face-down on the kitchen floor with a gunshot wound to the head.

Deputies from the Bates County Sheriff's Office apprehended Curtis a block away from the home. He was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action and is being held without bond.

The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, but authorities confirmed that McMurphy was Curtis's adoptive father. The relationship dynamics between Curtis, McMurphy, and McMurphy's wife are still unknown.

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