Man charged with manslaughter in wife's shooting death

VAN BUREN, Mo. -- An Ellsinore man is in jail today after being charged in connection with the death of his wife, who was shot during an earlier dispute with his stepson.

John William Moss, 55, was charged Thursday with first-degree involuntary manslaughter by Butler County assistant prosecuting attorney Paul Oesterreicher, who was acting as special prosecuting attorney for Carter County.

The complaint on file with the court alleges on March 31 Moss "recklessly caused the death of Regina Moss by shooting her."

Regina Moss, 52, died Friday at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.

An autopsy was performed by Dr. Russell Deidiker at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington, Mo., according to Carter County Coroner Dennis McSpadden.

Deidiker, McSpadden said, determined Regina Moss' cause of death was complications from the gunshot wound.

"Regina survived 30 days in the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center before passing," said Carter County Sheriff Tommy Adams, who arrested Moss on Thursday on the warrant.

John Moss was booked at the Carter County Jail, where he is being held on $25,000 cash or corporate surety bond.

In his probable cause affidavit, Adams said, he and Deputy Tracy Green responded to a residence on County Road 232, off Highway 21 south, regarding a domestic call, which involved a shooting.

John Moss and his stepson, Michael Deshazo, were "involved in an altercation involving a .22-caliber Marlin rifle," Adams said. "After entering the residence, I observed both John and Michael were in an intoxicated condition."

Deshazo, Adams said, was placed in a patrol car while he entered the residence to talk with John Moss.

"John claims he and his wife, Regina, were in bed for the night and Michael came into the bedroom wanting to inquire about some medication," Adams explained. "John asked Michael to leave the room."

Deshazo, Adams said, left, but then came back.

Deshazo threatened physical violence against John Moss, Adams said. "John claims Michael hit him in the face and knocked him down."

The alleged altercation then moved into the living room, Adams said.

"John claims he picked up an air rifle and was going to hit Michael with it," Adams said. "He then demanded Michael to leave the residence."

In his statement, John Moss told Adams he then picked up a .22-caliber rifle and shot two cellular telephones.

"He and Michael were still fighting with the gun loaded in John's hand," Adams said. "Finally, Regina had came into the living room and asked them to stop fighting.

"While John was holding the rifle, it discharged and hit Regina in the abdomen."

Adams described Regina Moss as having been hit in the abdomen by a ".22-caliber, hollow-point."

The bullet, authorities reported earlier, did "extensive damage to her stomach and colon, with fragments [remaining] inside of her."