Bollinger County man pleads not guilty to 2nd-degree murder

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- A Bollinger County man accused of killing his brother waived arraignment and pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action.

Lonnie Liley, 42, initially had been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the Jan. 23 shooting death of his brother, 50-year-old Jessie Liley.

According to a probable-cause affidavit filed in the case, Lonnie Liley told a Bollinger County detective he shot his brother in self-defense.

Witnesses told deputies Jessie Liley was upset because he believed his brother had threatened his girlfriend's son with a gun, and he had gone to Lonnie Liley's home to talk to him about it, the affidavit stated.

Lonnie Liley told a detective he had an AK-47 in his possession when the son of Jessie Liley's girlfriend came over, but he "stated that he was not carrying it around with any intentions," according to the affidavit filed by Detective Della K. Moore of the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department.

Four hours after the shooting, Lonnie Liley provided a breath sample that showed his blood alcohol content was 0.152, Moore wrote.

According to a Jan. 23 news release from the Bollinger County Sheriff's Department, deputies went to a home on County Road 512 about 9:30 a.m. that day in response to a report about a domestic dispute between two brothers.

They arrived to find Jessie Liley lying on the floor of his mother's trailer with a gunshot wound to his face and Lonnie Liley standing in the front yard with both hands raised over his head, Moore wrote in the probable-cause affidavit.

"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.'"

According to the affidavit, Lonnie Liley told Moore he shot his brother in self-defense.

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

Lonnie Liley's next court appearance is scheduled for April 3 before Judge Benjamin Lewis in Bollinger County Circuit Court.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Marble Hill, MO