Poplar Bluff man gets 10 years for fatal shooting

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A judge sentenced a Poplar Bluff man to 10 years in prison Tuesday for the March 2010 death of his sister-in-law's longtime boyfriend.

Randy Paul Johnson, 56, of the 1500 block of County Road 428 was convicted in June by a Butler County jury of voluntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in connection with the March 17, 2010, death of Gary Williamson, 60.

After finding Johnson guilty and hearing additional evidence during the penalty phase of the trial, the jury recommended Johnson be sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections on each charge.

At that time, Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett had ordered a sentencing advisory report be completed.

Before sentencing Johnson, Pritchett heard arguments from the defense, represented by Mark Richardson, and the state, represented by Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Bock, as well as from Johnson.

During her argument, Bock reminded Pritchett he had heard a victim impact statement from Rebecca Boyd, Williamson's longtime girlfriend and Johnson's sister-in-law, during the trial.

Although Boyd was present Tuesday, Williamson's elderly mother, who resides in Texas, was not.

"She did not feel she could emotionally handle the proceedings," Bock said.

The woman, who had attended the trial and made a victim impact statement, asked Bock to relay a statement for her. It was: "Gary had to come to Missouri to find an enemy."

" … She was very upset at the way (her son) was portrayed" by the defense as a thug and criminal during the trial, Bock said. "That wasn't the Gary she knew or his friends and co-workers knew," she said.

In asking the court to order the sentences to run consecutively, Bock described Williamson's death as a "senseless crime," which occurred after everyone had gone to bed.

Everyone -- Johnson, his wife, Teresa, Boyd and Williamson -- had all been drinking, and were probably intoxicated, Bock said.

An argument ensued, one the Johnsons had been having for two years, over martial problems, financial matters and his not working, as well as a disagreement over their son's education, said Bock.

"The catalyst was the fact he kicked his wife out of bed and everyone out of the house," Bock said.

Bock said Johnson also showed a lack of remorse, as well as his arrogance and lack of control, when he argued "semantics" during his testimony at trial in regard to statements he had made to authorities and their meaning.

Bock asked for the sentences to run consecutively, so Johnson would be required to take responsibility for his actions and learn to deal with his issues in a more productive manner.

Richardson said he believes the jury, who during its deliberations asked whether the sentences would be concurrent or consecutive, did not intend for the sentences to run consecutively since it did not recommend the three-year minimum on the ACA.

Before sentencing Johnson, Pritchett said, he recalled "pretty vividly" the testimony the jury heard, and that testimony "stuck with me."

Pritchett said he had taken into consideration Johnson's family, including his mother, who is now in a nursing home, and his father and his health.

Two families, he said, were destroyed by this crime; however, there is "no comparison" between the destruction in Johnson's family and the victim's family.

"You said goodbye to your mom; you said goodbye to your wife," Pritchett said. "The friends of the victim had no chance to say goodbye. …"

Pritchett then sentenced Johnson to five years in prison on each charge and ordered they run consecutive. He also denied Richardson's request for time served credit for bond time.

"I don't see time spent at your parents' home being compared to time a typical criminal defendant serves in the Justice Center across the street," said Pritchett. Credit for time served in the county jail will be determined by Probation & Parole, he said.

Johnson indicated his plans to appeal his conviction.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO