Police issue warrant for Cape woman who made national headlines in 2012

Cape Girardeau County’s prosecutor filed an arrest warrant Saturday for a defendant in another case that received national headlines in 2012.

Mercedes Makeda Ayers, 20, and Montrail F. Murray, 21, both of Cape Girardeau, have been charged with felony theft of a firearm. Murray was arrested Friday on a Cape Girardeau warrant for probation violation for property damage. His bond is set at $15,000 cash or surety, with the condition he does not possess a firearm.

Ayers still was at large as of Monday afternoon. Her bond is set at $15,000 cash or surety.

Murray told police Thursday he took a Hi-Point pistol out of a woman’s car Wednesday, according to a probable-cause statement filed by patrolman Brendon Whitlock. The woman said Murray was the only one who had access to her vehicle.

That same night, Murray said a woman he knew only as Mercedes and by her Facebook name Boosie Gasolinaa took the pistol from him, according to the statement. Murray later picked Ayers out of a photo lineup.

“Murray was unable to describe how or at what time Mercedes took the pistol from him, but she was the only individual he had contact with before it went missing,” Whitlock wrote.

In 2012, Ayers pleaded guilty to third-degree assault motivated by discrimination, a class D felony, after punching and kicking an openly gay 41-year-old woman in front of the woman’s home, according to previous reports in the Southeast Missourian.

Ayers received five years supervised probation Nov. 5, 2012. A class D felony could mean up to four years in the Missouri Department of Corrections if Ayers is found to have violated her probation.

Ayers assaulted the woman July 24, 2012, according to a probable-cause statement filed by John Volkerding. The victim said Ayers routinely referred to her and her girlfriend by using derogatory anti-gay slurs when Ayers and the couple were neighbors, Volkerding wrote.

Stories of the assault were featured in media all over the U.S.

The victim said in an interview Ayers began the incident with a slur and made other defamatory remarks during the assault. She said she has no doubt Ayers’ actions were a hate crime.

She added she had medical effects from head trauma during the assault, including constant nausea and pain.

“They intended to hurt me as much as they could,” the victim said.

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address:

40 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.