Police only hint at motive in Scopus shooting

A sworn statement by police gives a mountain of circumstantial evidence as to why they think Lisa Barlow is guilty of murder.

What's less clear is why they think she did it.

The probable-cause statement offers a number of incriminating pieces of information that contradicted the story she told police shortly after Michael Strong was killed July 27 at his Scopus, Mo., home. The statement, however, only hints at a motive.

The statement suggests Barlow wanted out of a relationship with Strong, her boyfriend, to pursue a relationship with her third ex-husband, who lives in Paducah, Ky. Yet it offers no clues as to why police think she killed Strong instead of leaving him.

"We want to know why," said Matt Strong, the victim's brother.

The ex-husband, Dale Amelunke, may have complicated the motive Thursday, when in an interview with the Southeast Missourian he said his affair with Barlow had ended "a long time ago," months before Strong had died, which is contrary to what has been stated by police.

The five-page probable-cause statement said Amelunke and Barlow were still meeting and having sexual relations.

Amelunke declined to offer any new information. However, he confirmed other parts of the statement, including the fact that he told police Barlow "hates Michael" that "she cannot stand Michael touching her anymore" and that she had abstained from sexual relations with Strong for more than a month. Amelunke said in the telephone interview he had only started talking to Barlow again in the week of Strong's killing. He confirmed Barlow made repeated phone calls to him wanting him to take her back.

Lt. David James of Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department said he stands by the probable-cause statement, which said that "several persons interviewed" said she was "still having sexual relations" with her ex-husband. Amelunke's name does not appear in the statement.

Barlow could face the death penalty if convicted of the crime.

Police were able to secure an arrest warrant based on several pieces of evidence that contradicted Barlow's statement. Among them:

• Careful examination of the house revealed she would have seen her boyfriend's killer when she got out of bed to call 911.
• A neighbor reported hearing a gunshot about an hour before Barlow called 911.
• Family members told police that Barlow's two dogs barked at intruders, yet on the 911 tape, they were silent until the two Bollinger County sheriff's deputies arrived.
• During the 911 call, police say, she said she was hiding under the bed because she heard someone fire a gun, yet police analyzed her clothing and found no canine hair. When an officer climbed under the bed and came out, the officer was covered in dog hair, presumably from Barlow's two large dogs. The evidence suggests Barlow was not hiding under the bed as she told police when she made the 911 call.
• Strong's reclining position on the love seat where he was found did not indicate a struggle of any kind. "To me, that was big, because of the statements that she made that he was in a confrontation," said Bollinger County chief deputy Leo McElrath.
• Barlow told police she did not like guns because they were "dirty," but neighbors told police Strong let her shoot his .44-caliber Magnum at cans in the backyard, and said Barlow bragged "she was a pretty good shot."
• Strong's .44-caliber Ruger handgun was missing from the residence.

Police did conduct a gunshot residue test on Barlow, but the results were not available in time to be included in the probable-cause statement.

Matt Strong called the crime "senseless."

He said no one in the family knew Barlow well. She would attend family events and stay for 15 or 20 minutes, Strong said.

"We didn't really know the girl," he said.

Matt Strong mentioned that while Barlow had always seemed nice, "maybe a little too nice," female family members never fully trusted her.

"Women can sense these things," he said.

Barlow's arraignment is set for Wednesday.

bidicosmo@semissourian.com

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