Bouren waives preliminary hearing in murder case

FARMINGTON, Mo. -- One of the two primary suspects in the death of a Cape Girardeau tattoo artist waived preliminary hearing and had his case bound over for trial Tuesday in St. Francois County Circuit Court.

Brent Bouren, 43, of St. Louis faces charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, witness tampering, second-degree assault and felonious restraint in connection with the death of Samuel "Tick" Francis, whose body was found July 25 in a septic tank near Bonne Terre, Mo., more than seven months after he disappeared.

On Tuesday, Bouren waived his right to a preliminary hearing in the case.

A second suspect, Melvin Scherrer, 49, of Bonne Terre, Mo., has been charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, felonious restraint, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.

Bouren and Scherrer also face multiple federal charges in connection with a drug trafficking investigation.

The federal charges have created delays in the murder case.

In November, the state's case against Bouren was continued to allow time for his attorneys to work out issues related to the federal charges, St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Jerrod Mahurin said at the time.

Meanwhile, Scherrer has not yet had an arraignment or preliminary hearing yet on his state charges.

On Tuesday, Mahurin said he is ready to proceed with the state's case against Scherrer and has filed several writs of habeas corpus to try to get Scherrer into court, but federal authorities have not yet approved them.

"I'm prepared to go on a prelim now," Mahurin said. "We just have to get him here."

A third suspect in the case, 43-year-old Otto Plopper of French Village, Mo., was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon in St. Francois County Circuit Court.

Plopper was charged with felony abandonment of a corpse.

Mahurin said he expected Plopper to waive preliminary hearing in the case.

Online court records show Bouren and Scherrer are scheduled to appear Feb. 11 in federal court in St. Louis for a pretrial evidentiary hearing on the drug charges.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Bonne Terre, MO

Farmington, MO