Mother, son dead, father injured in Cape Girardeau shooting

A shooting Thursday in Cape Girardeau left two people dead and a third wounded.

Cape Girardeau Police Department spokesman Darin Hickey on Thursday afternoon said Matthew Joseph, 18, and Mary Joseph, 57, were killed in the shooting at 1220 W. Cape Rock Drive.

Cape Girardeau police responded to a shooting at a home at 1220 W. Cape Rock Drive.

George Joseph, 48, was being treated Thursday afternoon for a gunshot wound.

Terry Rollins, who lives less than a block from the scene, said George Joseph and his wife, Mary, lived in the house with their son Matthew, who was home from college for the summer, and a West Highland white terrier.

"My dog and their dog would visit," he said.

A view of a small lake in front of a Cape Girardeau house where police said multiple people were shot Thursday morning. (Laura Simon)

Rollins said he came outside at 8 a.m. Thursday to meet an air-conditioner technician and saw "all this onslaught" of emergency vehicles.

"I saw them put George in an ambulance and roll him out," he said.

Hickey said a family member came to the Josephs' home shortly before 8 a.m., found one of the victims, and called police, who then discovered the other two while going through the rest of the house.

He said everyone involved in the shooting was accounted for, so there's no danger to the public.

"There is no threat at this point," Hickey said. "All parties that were involved; we believe we know where everybody is. There is not anybody out running around or anything like that. We have control of the scene."

Several people, including some of the victims' family members, embraced and wept outside the house while investigators worked inside Thursday morning. At least a half-dozen police cars were parked around the property.

The shooting came as a shock to the quiet residential neighborhood.

"This is a quiet neighborhood. This street we live on, there may be 20 to 25 cars a day go through here," said Glen Smart, who lives on Sonnet Drive, one street over from the Josephs. "It's very safe, very quiet."

Smart said he did not know the Josephs well, although they moved to the neighborhood about 10 years ago.

"They were very quiet people. They would come and go a lot," he said.

Smart said he thought George Joseph worked in accounting and possibly day trading.

Rollins said the Josephs "kept pretty much to themselves."

"I've often wondered what he did, because he must do whatever he did in his house, because he didn't get out much," he said.

Rollins said Matthew Joseph was attending a Catholic university in St. Louis but previously had spent a year at Southeast Missouri State University.

Hickey said officers had interviewed several people, including family members of the victims, and still were gathering evidence from the house Thursday afternoon.

He said there was evidence throughout the house.

Hickey did not know the type of gun involved in the shooting or the extent of George Joseph's injuries.

As a routine part of the investigation, officers were looking into any prior calls for service at the Josephs' address, Hickey said. He did not have any information about when, if ever, police had been called there in the past.

Investigators were trying to determine what time the shooting occurred, Hickey said.

Autopsies were pending.

A Google search for 1220 W. Cape Rock Drive turned up several business directories listing the company Missouri Pharmex LLC, described as a drug wholesale and distribution company, at the address. Mary and George Joseph were both listed as "organizers" with the company on the Missouri Secretary of State's website.

Dexter, Mo., lawyer Stephen Holden was listed as the registered agent with the LLC, but he was out of the office Thursday; a message was left for him.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

1220 W. Cape Rock Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO