Marble Hill assailant guns down another man, then commits suicide, police say

A Marble Hill, Missouri, man shot and killed another man during what Bollinger County sheriff’s deputies described as a domestic disturbance Friday afternoon. The shooter then went home and took his own life, deputies said.

The victim, Christopher Todd McGregor, 44, of Zalma, Missouri, was found dead at the scene near County Road 502 and County Road 519 just south of Marble Hill. He had suffered gunshot wounds and was laying on a low-water bridge.

Neighbor Tom Vandeven, who owns the property at the intersection, said McGregor had at least one shotgun wound to his torso. Vandeven said his wife heard two shots during the incident.

Bollinger County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of shots fired at 2:57 p.m. Friday. One bystander was shot in the hand during the shooting and was taken to Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. Vandeven said the bystander was the former girlfriend of Ethen Sullivan of Marble Hill. Sullivan had found her with McGregor, and they all had met by the bridge. Vandeven said McGregor and the woman may have been visiting a friend who lived on County Road 519.

During the investigation, deputies were informed a suspect, Sullivan of Marble Hill, left the scene in a Ford F-250 pickup truck and was possibly on his way home on County Road 510. Deputies reached Sullivan’s residence and found him dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Sullivan worked with Terry Sander of Sander Siding. Sander said they had finished a job early that day. At one point, Sullivan told Sander his girlfriend had left him Thursday and had left a strongly worded note.

“I said if she wants to leave, let her leave,” Sander said when Sullivan asked him for advice. “He never mentioned nothing like this. I think something snapped in him.”

Sander said Sullivan leaves behind three children — two boys and a girl.

“He was a great guy, I thought,” Sander said. “I still do. ... They had problems and it turned into tragedy.”

McGregor was the lead equipment operator with the Missouri Department of Conservation-Division of Design and Development, according to an obituary from Morgan Funeral Home. McGregor had a wife, son and daughter, according to the obituary.

Pertinent address:

County Road 502 and County Road 519, Marble Hill, Mo.