Man shot in car in Poplar Bluff dies

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Members of the Poplar Bluff/Butler County Major Case Squad continued to interview potential witnesses Monday in connection with the death of a Poplar Bluff man who was shot while seated in his vehicle early Sunday morning.

The Major Case Squad was activated to investigate the death of Marcus D. McFarland, 29, according to Poplar Bluff deputy police chief Jeff Rolland.

Authorities report they have identified a potential suspect/person of interest, Paris D. Thomas, 23, who was in custody on unrelated charges Monday morning.

Rolland said a friend of McFarland and a neighbor called 911 to report the shooting at about 3:50 a.m. Sunday.

When officers arrived they found a silver Dodge Caliber, Rolland said.

Police officers found McFarland in the driver's seat with a single gunshot wound to the chest, Rolland said.

Emergency medical services responded and transported McFarland to Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center, where he underwent surgery, but he died of his wound, Rolland said.

An autopsy was performed Sunday by Dr. Russell Deidiker at Mineral Area Regional Medical Center in Farmington, Mo., Butler County Coroner Jim Akers said.

Given McFarland died from a gunshot wound, the cause and manner of death were not in question, Akers said.

"The main purpose of the autopsy was for evidence retrieval," Akers said. "We were able to retrieve the bullet."

According to Akers, McFarland suffered what he described as a single bullet wound to the abdomen, which entered just under the ribs and moved "across his belly," severing the aorta, the main artery coming out of the heart.

McFarland's aorta, Akers said, was cut about 5 inches below his heart, near where it branches off.

Doctors repaired the damaged artery during surgery, but the "shock to his system and the loss of blood" were too much, Akers said. McFarland, he said, received 37 units of blood.

During the ensuing investigation, Rolland said, nearly 30 members of the Major Case Squad responded to assist.

Rolland said officers processed McFarland's vehicle and the scene and found McFarland was shot while seated in his vehicle.

"It appears [the shooter] was outside the vehicle" when McFarland was shot with a handgun, he said.

Numerous interviews also were conducted, and "through the course of the investigation, the interviews revealed a potential suspect, that being Paris Thomas," Rolland said.

At about 3:45 p.m., Cpl. Joe Ward reported seeing Thomas running.

"Once Thomas observed my patrol unit, he ran west in the alleyway between Harper and Gardner to the rear" of a home, Ward said in his report.

Thomas, Ward said, was ordered to the ground and handcuffed "due to him having active warrants for his arrest and [his being] a person of interest in a murder investigation."

Thomas was arrested on a Butler County warrant for probation violation on an original drug-related charge, a Butler County warrant for trespassing and two municipal failure to appear warrants for obstructing process, stealing, assault, three counts of possession of marijuana, no seat belt, two counts of no operator's license, improper state registration, no proof of insurance and failure to obey an officer. He was booked at the Butler County jail.

Rolland said the investigation is ongoing, with officers continuing to conduct additional interviews Monday, as well as re-interview potential witnesses.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO