Police still searching for estranged husband of Cape Girardeau murder suspect

Law enforcement agencies in Southeast Missouri have at least four reasons for wanting Lloyd D. Gilmore, a 27-year-old Sikeston, Mo., man with a history of drug convictions, in custody.

In addition to three outstanding warrants against Gilmore, one of them for sexual assault, police are seeking Gilmore's arrest because he is a key eyewitness in a Cape Girardeau murder case involving his estranged wife, Tambra Turner.

"I'm asking for the public's help in finding this guy," said Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle.

Gilmore sports a tattoo bearing Turner's name across his left pectoral muscle, Swingle said, making him easy to identify, and he is not believed to have fled the area.

Turner, 30 of Sikeston, was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on charges related to the Feb. 22, 2008, shooting death of Chabreshea Egson.

An arrest warrant was issued for Turner the day after the homicide, but like her husband, she disappeared, evading law enforcement for more than a year. She was apprehended last month In Chicago on a federal fugitive warrant and brought to Missouri to stand trial.

Gilmore had been living with Egson for about three days after his release from jail when Turner showed up at a residence at 1523 N. Spanish St., where they both were staying, the evening of Feb. 21, 2008. She had learned of Gilmore's relationship with Egson, started by letters the two exchanged during Gilmore's incarceration, and was upset by it, according to testimony presented at Turner's preliminary hearing.

She allegedly began breaking windows of the house with a tree branch before leaving in her blue Ford Mustang.

According to what Gilmore told investigators shortly after the murder, he was awakened several hours later by Turner, who stood in the darkened hallway of the house with a gun.

As Turner came toward the bedroom, Gilmore began grappling with her for control of the weapon.

"The gun went off as he was struggling with her," Swingle said.

A relative of Egson's was in the house at the time but didn't see the gun actually fired, according to testimony, making Gilmore the only actual eyewitness to the killing.

"He is a very important witness," Swingle said.

Because Turner and Gilmore, who wed in 2003, are still married, Gilmore has the option of invoking his spousal privilege, meaning he could not be forced to testify against his wife.

The couple is no longer living together and has been estranged for well over a year, and the law is not clear on whether those factors could affect invoking spousal privilege, Swingle said.

Gilmore cooperated with investigators after the murder, indicating he might be willing to testify against Turner, Swingle said.

In December, Gilmore allegedly broke into a Sikeston residence and assaulted the woman he had been living with at the time. According to a probable-cause statement by Bethany McDermott of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety, he broke into a spare bedroom through the window after the victim told Gilmore he could not come inside the residence. The statement alleged he beat her for more than an hour.

A warrant for Gilmore's arrest on charges of domestic assault and felonious restraint was issued in Scott County in that case. Bond was set at $100,000 cash only.

On May 31, Sikeston police took a report from a woman who said Gilmore broke into her home, sexually assaulted her and later had a friend offer her $500 if she would tell police to drop the charges, according to a probable-cause statement by Detective Bobby Sullivan of the Sikeston police. Gilmore was charged with first-degree burglary, sexual assault and tampering with a victim.

In May, a third warrant was issued for Gilmore's arrest, this time in Pemiscot County, for failing to appear on a charge of not wearing a seat belt. Because he was wanted on serious felony charges already, Pemiscot County Associate Circuit Judge Byron Luber declined to set a bond amount for that case, although it was just a traffic violation.

Gilmore's criminal history includes a 2003 conviction for distributing a controlled substance, 2002 and 2005 convictions for resisting arrest and a 2007 conviction for possession of marijuana, all in Scott County.

His record includes more than a dozen other arrests since 2000 that resulted in acquittals, including a kidnapping charge in 2007 in Scott County and counts of armed criminal action in 2003 and 2007.

bdicosmo@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent addresses:

1523 N. Spanish St., Cape Girardeau, MO

Sikeston, MO