Girlfriend of assault suspect accused of witness tampering

The girlfriend of a man recently arrested on suspicion of first- and second-degree assault in Marble Hill, Missouri, told one of the victims he should not go to court, and her boyfriend’s friends in the “Mexican Mafia” were going to visit him, police said.

The Bollinger County prosecuting attorney’s office charged Carole Lee Gusler, 73, of tampering with a witness in a felony prosecution.

The Marble Hill Police Department and Bollinger County Sheriff’s Department could not be reached Thursday afternoon to say whether Gusler was arrested or still at large.

Judge Craig Brewer signed an arrest warrant for Gusler on Wednesday.

Marble Hill police identified Gusler as the girlfriend of Salvador Villegas, 44, of Marble Hill, according to a probable-cause statement by Sgt. Richard Howard of the Marble Hill Police Department.

Villegas was arrested June 22 and charged with first- and second-degree assault and possession of a controlled substance in connection with events that were reported to have occurred in Marble Hill.

Gusler was not involved in the incident that led to Villegas’ arrest June 22.

Gusler visited the second-degree assault victim’s home in Marble Hill at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, Howard wrote.

The victim said he was scared but gave a statement accusing Gusler of telling him not to go to court and to get ready for Villegas’ “Mexican Mafia” friends to come over, Howard wrote.

The victim identified Gusler through a photograph, Howard wrote.

Howard added he had heard Villegas ask what would happen if the victims did not appear in court, and Villegas had been told multiple times the case would be thrown out.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

200 block of Plutarch St., Marble Hill, Mo.