Bernie woman gets 20 years, must testify against husband

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Bernie, Mo., woman plead guilty Wednesday to a 2010 murder.

Angela McCoy, who has been incarcerated since June 2010 alongside her husband, Allen McCoy, after the murder of Aubrey Finch, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a Stoddard County courtroom. As part of a plea agreement, she will serve a 20-year prison sentence. She will have to serve a minimum of 85 percent before she would be eligible for parole.

Both McCoys originally were charged with first-degree murder, two counts of the unclassified felony of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree robbery.

Stoddard County Prosecuting Attorney Russell Oliver said Angela McCoy has agreed to testify against her husband in his pending murder case.

"We're hopeful that Allen will stand trial in the future once he is deemed competent," Oliver said Wednesday. "Part of this agreement is that she would testify in Allen McCoy's case. There is testimony she would have that would be crucial to our case against him."

Oliver believes the sentence was appropriate in exchange for the value that her testimony will bring to the table. He said keeping her off the street was the goal and he feels this sentence makes sure that happens.

Angela McCoy's husband and co-defendant, Allen "Smurf" McCoy, was in February declared "mentally disabled" by doctors for both the defense and the state. As a result, he was found incompetent to stand trial.

This declaration means doctors for both the defense and prosecution determined he does not currently have the mental capacity to understand the workings of a murder trial to the extent that he would be able to aid in his own defense.

Allen McCoy is currently incarcerated in a mental hospital where he will be taught about the workings of a trial with the goal of getting him to a point of competency.

An autopsy conducted in Farmington ruled Finch, 67, died as a result of "multiple stab wounds to the head and neck."

According to the probable cause statement filed by Cpl. J.D. Johnson with the Missouri State Water Patrol and assigned to the Stoddard County Major Case Squad on June 28, a witness contacted the New Madrid County Sheriff's Department and reported that Allen McCoy had come to his residence and told him he had killed a man named Lee in Bernie.

The witness then reportedly went on to say Allen McCoy claimed to have stabbed an 87-year-old man and robbed him. He also stated McCoy had burned some items in a ditch in front of the witness' house.

The witnesses went on to tell officers that Allen McCoy told them he had stolen some items and taken them to his storage building in Bernie. The report also states Angela McCoy was present when the murder occurred and she participated in stealing items from the house.

As investigators sifted through a burn pile in front of the witness' house, two keys were found. The keys were seized and later taken to the victim's home where they were found to unlock the victim's Ford truck and the front door to the victim's house.

Pertinent address:

Bloomfield, MO

Bernie, MO