Cape Girardeau man charged with murder in deaths of wife, son

A Cape Girardeau man was charged Friday with two counts of first-degree murder after police say he shot his wife and son as they slept in their beds and then attempted to take his own life.

George Edwin Joseph, 48, was arrested Friday after being released from a St. Louis hospital where he was recovering from a self-inflicted wound to his forehead.

On Tuesday, Joseph admitted to Sgt. Don Perry of the Cape Girardeau Police Department to shooting his wife, Mary Joseph, 57, and son, Matthew Joseph, 18, on May 30 inside their home at 1220 W. Cape Rock Drive in Cape Girardeau, according to a probable-cause statement from the Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

George Joseph

Relatives of the Josephs reported finding Mary and Matthew Joseph dead and, a few minutes later, an injured George Joseph, who walked into the home's swimming pool area to attempt suicide, about 8 a.m. that day, according to Perry's statement. Officers worked the scene late into the afternoon and little information initially was released about the deaths, and an autopsy revealed Mary and Matthew Joseph both had been shot multiple times in the head. The mother and son were killed with a .22 caliber handgun, according to police, which was found near George Joseph at the scene.

Perry interviewed George Joseph in the hospital, where Joseph told Perry he did not need to look for any other perpetrator in the crime. Perry wrote in a probable-cause statement that George Joseph had been depressed and was facing "significant financial issues that impacted not only himself, but also a large number of other individuals."

George Joseph was able to comprehend and answer questions during the interview, Perry wrote.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Angel Woodruff on Friday said she couldn't elaborate on the type of business in which George Joseph was involved in or why charges weren't filed until Friday, and declined to release any details of the case other than those included in the probable-cause statement.

A Google search for 1220 W. Cape Rock Drive turned up several business directories listing the company Missouri Pharmex LLC, described as a drug wholesale and distribution company, at the address. Mary and George Joseph were listed as "organizers" with the company on the Missouri Secretary of State's website.

Documents also show George Joseph had sold the gun police believe was used, then borrowed it back the Sunday before the shootings. He told the owner of the gun he was going to take his son target shooting, according to the probable-cause statement.

George Joseph also faces a third charge for armed criminal action. He was in custody on a $5 million cash-only bond Friday afternoon. If he posts the bond, he'll be put on house arrest with several conditions.

No lawyer was listed for George Joseph in online court records, and no hearings in the case have been set.

A visitation for Mary and Matthew Joseph was Friday in Cape Girardeau and a funeral was Saturday.

Southeast Missourian managing editor Matt Sanders contributed to this report.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

1220 W. Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.