Authorities: Sikeston man in custody in stabbing death of former girlfriend

SIKESTON, Mo. -- A Sikeston mother was killed during an apparent custody dispute with her child's father, who was charged with the slaying Monday.

James V. Cullum, 21, of Sikeston is accused of stabbing to death his ex-girlfriend, Tishania T. Walker, 20, a day before they were to appear together in court for an ex parte hearing June 6 in Scott County, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Cullum was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action Monday and is being held without bond.

The victim's body was found Sunday in a culvert that drains into a retention basin northeast of Linn Street and Ingram Road, according to a news release from the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

When police learned of the June 6 court hearing in which Walker did not show and Cullum was granted temporary custody of his child, they brought the defendant in for questioning, the affidavit said.

Cullum told investigators that he called Walker on June 5 and asked her to meet him in Dudley Park so the two work out issues regarding their child.

While the two sat on the drain pipe talking, Cullum pulled out a knife with which he wanted to scare Walker into leaving the child to him, according to the affidavit.

The two began to fight and Cullum said he cut Walker's throat, knocked her down and began stabbing her in the abdomen, the affidavit said.

Walker knocked off Cullum, but the defendant stabbed her in the back and she stopped moving. Cullum told officers he placed the victim's body into the drainage pipe, tossed the knife into the lake and left, the affidavit read.

Scott County Coroner Scott Amick said the victim's body was dead on arrival when found by fishermen. An autopsy was conducted in Farmington, Mo., but results were not yet available, he said.

Cullum was scheduled for arraignment at 11 a.m. today in Scott County before Associate Circuit Judge David C. Mann.

kmorrison@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127