Judge postpones ruling on whether murder suspect will stand trial

Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's deputies escort Tambra Turner into the Cape Girardeau County Courthouse Thursday, July 9, 2009, in Jackson. (Kit Doyle) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

Family members and friends of 20-year-old Chabreshea Egson, shot to death more than 16 months ago, will have to wait a few more days to hear whether murder charges against her accused killer will stand.

At a preliminary hearing Thursday for Tambra Turner, 30, of Sikeston, Mo., the state called seven witnesses to testify about the events leading up to Egson's death Feb. 22, 2008.

Turner, who was on the run for more than a year before she was apprehended in Chicago last month, faces charges of first-degree murder, burglary, property damage and armed criminal action.

Associate Circuit Judge Gary Kamp announced that the testimony was sufficient for Turner to stand trial for property damage but that he would hold off on making a decision about the other three charges until both sides in the case submitted written arguments.

Kamp said he would take under advisement whether to admit certain testimony implicating Turner because of hearsay objections. In addition, a man who could play a key role in the case was not available to testify because police have been unable to find him.

Family members of both Turner and Egson packed the back three rows of the courtroom, and Egson's relatives wore yellow T-shirts emblazoned with her image that said "rest in peace, Breesha."

Egson's cousin, Micha Conrad, said the family had the shirts made for Egson's funeral.

Lloyd D. Gilmore, 27 of Sikeston, estranged husband of Turner, was believed to have been present at the time of the shooting, according to other witnesses.

Gilmore was not called to testify because police are searching for him, said Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle. Gilmore has an active arrest warrant on burglary charges in Pemiscot County. Officers had him cornered in an apartment building Wednesday night, but he kicked down a wall to escape, Swingle said.

At the time of the killing, Gilmore had been staying with Egson at her sister's apartment on North Spanish Street for about three days since getting released from jail, according to testimony at the hearing.

A relative of Egson's testified that he, Gilmore and Egson were the only ones at home the night of Feb. 21, 2008, when there was a knock on the door, and he saw Turner arguing with Gilmore.

Turner went on to smash several windows at the residence, according to testimony.

Cape Girardeau officer Amy Walker testified that she was called twice to the residence, once for the property damage and then around 5:30 a.m. Feb. 22 in response to a reported gunshot victim.

Egson made the 911 call herself, Swingle said, but when Walker arrived, she had lost consciousness and her pulse was faint.

A forensic pathologist who performed the autopsy testified that Egson died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Kamp will decide whether to take into account the testimony of Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper Scott Stoelting, who described an interview with Gilmore's cousin, Julian Johnson.

As a member of the Cape Girardeau County-Bollinger County Major Case Squad, Stoelting investigated the murder and said Johnson hesitantly told him Turner had been upset because she found out her husband was seeing another woman. Johnson said on Feb. 22, several hours after the homicide, he saw Turner and she confessed to shooting at the woman but wasn't sure if she'd killed her.

When Johnson took the stand, he said he couldn't remember whether Stoelting had interviewed him.

Jennifer Booth, attorney for Turner, objected to Stoelting's testimony because hearsay is generally not permitted in court.

In a brief filed after the hearing, Swingle argued the testimony should be considered an exception to the hearsay rule because it was being offered to resolve the discrepancies between Johnson's recorded statements to Stoelting and his testimony.

Swingle said he opted to use Stoelting's testimony for the hearing because it would be faster and easier than playing the entire recorded interview in court, but that if the case goes to trial he will likely use the recording.

Swingle said Kamp was expected to rule early next week.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

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