Bollinger County man charged with murder in brother's death

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A Bollinger County man is in jail on charges of first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the Thursday morning shooting death of his brother.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed in the case, Lonnie Lee Liley, 42, told Detective Della K. Moore of the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department he shot his brother, Jessie Dean Liley, 50, in self-defense after the elder Liley shoved Lonnie Liley's mother out of the way and tried to grab his gun.

Lonnie Liley's mother, Jacqueline Liley, called 911 at 9:33 a.m. Thursday and "stated, 'I have a dead body,' but then stated she did not know if he was dead. Jacqueline stated that her son had to shoot him," Moore wrote in the affidavit.

While talking to a 911 dispatcher, Jacqueline Liley gave the phone to Lonnie Liley, Moore wrote.

"Lonnie stated that Jessie came in the house screaming about guns like a '[expletive] wild maniac,'" Moore wrote. "Lonnie Liley stated that he had to do what he had to do. Lonnie also stated a '.45 don't lie.'"

Deputies arrived at Lonnie Liley and his mother's trailer to find Lonnie Liley standing in the front yard with both hands raised over his head, Moore wrote.

Jessie Liley was lying on the kitchen floor with a gunshot wound to his face, Moore wrote.

A neighbor, identified as Jessie Liley's girlfriend, said Lonnie Liley had pulled a gun on her son, prompting Jessie Liley to go to his brother's home, where "two seconds later we all heard a gun go off," Moore wrote.

In an interview with police, Lonnie Liley said his mother believed Jessie Liley and his girlfriend were using "dope" and earlier in the day had tried to evict them from the trailer where they lived, Moore wrote.

Jacqueline Liley told authorities Jessie Liley -- apparently upset because he believed Lonnie Liley had threatened his girlfriend's son -- came "pounding over" and "went toward Lonnie's throat," Moore wrote.

"Lonnie stated that he believed that Jessie was reaching for his (Lonnie's) pistol and at that time he shot Jessie," Moore wrote.

During his interview, Lonnie Liley told Moore he had stayed up late, drinking, but had stopped between 11 p.m. Wednesday and midnight, Moore wrote.

Lonnie Liley provided a breath sample that showed his blood alcohol content was .152 just after 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Moore wrote.

Results were pending from an autopsy conducted Friday morning on Jessie Liley's body, a woman answering the phone at the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department confirmed.

Aside from a pair of traffic violations in the late 1990s, online court records show no prior offenses for Lonnie Liley.

In 2007, Jessie Liley pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance.

In 2000, he faced several drug charges, including manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to distribute. Online court records show the charges later were amended, but the new charges and ultimate disposition of the case were unclear.

Lonnie Liley was in custody Friday in Bollinger County. Bond was set at $500,000 cash only.

Initial arraignment is set for 9 a.m. Thursday in Bollinger County Circuit Court.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

County Road 512, Bollinger County, MO