Federal drug case causes delays in state murder case

The wheels of justice continue to turn, albeit slowly, in the case against two men accused of killing a Cape Girardeau tattoo artist.

The body of Samuel "Tick" Francis, 38, was found in a septic tank northeast of Bonne Terre, Missouri, on July 25, 2013, a day after federal investigators executed a search warrant on the home of one of the men accused of killing him.

Francis had been missing since December 2012.

Melvin Scherrer of Bonne Terre and Brent Bouren of St. Louis face state charges in connection with Francis' death.

Bouren and Scherrer also were among 25 people charged in September in a federal drug-trafficking case involving the manufacture and distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine.

Melvin Scherrer

Scherrer has not yet appeared in St. Francois County, Missouri, Circuit Court to answer the state charges against him.

He is set for jury trial Dec. 1 on the federal drug charges, online court records show.

St. Francois County Prosecuting Attorney Jerrod Mahurin said in January he was ready to proceed with the state's case against Scherrer as soon as federal authorities approve a writ of habeas corpus so he can appear in court.

"I'm prepared to go on a prelim now," Mahurin said Jan. 14. "We just have to get him here."

Scherrer is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, felonious restraint, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution in connection with Francis' death.

Samuel Francis

The federal charges have created delays in Bouren's case as well. Last fall, the murder case against him was continued to give Bouren and his attorneys time to work out issues related to the federal case, Mahurin said at the time.

In March, Bouren pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He is awaiting sentencing in that case.

Bouren is charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, witness tampering, second-degree assault and felonious restraint in connection with Francis' death.

A trial setting in that case is scheduled for Sept. 19, online court records show.

Meanwhile, a third suspect in the Francis case, Otto Plopper of French Village, Missouri, faces a single charge of felony abandonment of a corpse. Online court records show no date for his next court appearance on that charge.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Bonne Terre, MO