Man pleads guilty to second-degree murder

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- Following a plea agreement, a New Madrid man was sentenced to prison for a fatal shooting.

George William Dawson III, 32, entered a plea of guilty to a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Donta Grissom. Grissom was shot in the head by Dawson shortly before 3 a.m. Oct. 1, 2020.

After entering his guilty plea before Judge Benjamin Lewis on Tuesday in New Madrid County Circuit Court, Dawson was sentenced to 15 years in the custody of the state Department of Corrections. A second count of armed criminal action was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Lewis, a Cape Girardeau County judge, was appointed by the state Supreme Court to hear the case after Circuit Judge Ed Reeves withdrew.

New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Lawson described the case as complex.

"As with any guilty plea, this agreement was a compromise by both sides. Between the defendant's diagnosed mental health issues and the victim's violent past, a guilty verdict on first degree murder or second degree murder was never a sure thing," Lawson said.

He noted because second-degree murder is considered a dangerous felony, Dawson must serve 85% of the 15 year sentence before he is eligible for parole.

"Hopefully, this guilty plea will provide the victim's family with some peace of mind for the next 13 years," he said.

At Dawson's preliminary hearing in December 2020, Justin Fitzwater, an officer with the New Madrid Police Department, described being met by Dawson at a residence on North Kingshighway in New Madrid following a report of a shooting. The residence was located near a shop where the shooting took place.

Fitzwater described Dawson as calm at the time, however the officer also stated Dawson told him he believed Grissom was going to have someone harm him. Dawson later spoke to the officer about hearing voices.

Ramon Anderson, a witness at the scene of the shooting also testified at the preliminary hearing.

He noted that he, Dawson and Grissom had smoked methamphetamine that evening and Dawson and Grissom had consumed alcohol as well.

Also Anderson described hearing a shot as he was working on a car in the shop with the men. He said when he looked up and saw Dawson holding a gun.