Matthews, Mo., man sentenced to life in prison for 2006 murder

BENTON, Mo. -- A Matthews, Mo., man was sentenced Thursday to life in prison for the 2006 shooting death of a Sikeston, Mo., man.

Vincent Keith Minner was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Michael Terry, whose death was ultimately caused by Minner shooting him on Nov. 5, 2006. Minner appeared before Judge Frank Conley in Boone County, Mo., where he had previously been granted a change of venue.

The state's case was tried by Scott County Prosecutor Paul R. Boyd and assistant attorney general Robert Ahsens.

Minner was also sentenced to 10 years for the first-degree assault of Jennifer Terry concurrent with a 10-year sentence for burglary in the first degree charge for breaking into the Terrys' apartment in Sikeston to attack the Terrys. He also received a 10-year sentence for the armed criminal action charge for shooting Michael Terry with a handgun.

At trial on July 30, Minner took the stand and attempted to convince the jury that he was a bystander and witness to the attack of the Terrys by an unknown assailant who forced his way into the house, Boyd recalled. This version conflicted with his statement to an officer when he was in the hospital recovering from his own wounds. There, Minner told the officer that he could not believe that Michael Terry did all of this over $600 of dope he owed Minner, Boyd said.

The jury found Minner not guilty of an assault in the first degree charge for attempting to shoot Jennifer Terry, an armed criminal action charge associated with the attempted assault and tampering with a witness, Jennifer Terry, by assaulting her so she would not be available as a witness in pending drug cases of some of Minner's associates.

Boyd said the state initially sought the death penalty for the murder of Michael Terry, but the death penalty was waived prior to the punishment stage of the jury trial, leaving the sentencing up to the judge because Minner was a prior felony drug offender.