Poplar Bluff man pleads guilty to killing good Samaritan

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A Poplar Bluff, Missouri, man preempted his trial by pleading guilty Monday morning to six felonies, including a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of a good Samaritan who had given him a ride.

Joseph Wade Wisdom, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon before Circuit Judge David Jones, according to Butler County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Paul Oesterreicher.

Wisdom pleaded guilty to the shooting death of Stahl Lee Sturgeon, 50, of Doniphan, Missouri, on March 8, 2016, as well as brandishing a weapon and/or firing shots at Joshua Joplin, Melanie Shands and Sharon Wagner.

Wisdom’s plea took place before the jury selection began, Oesterreicher said.

“The public defender’s office called me Sunday night and indicated their client wanted to plea,” Oesterreicher said. “The only offer that was on the table was that I would dismiss the (five) armed criminal action (charges), and he would have to plea straight up to all the other charges.”

Oesterreicher said he was not expecting Wisdom to plea.

“We made that offer a couple of months ago,” he said. “It was the only plea-bargaining I would do on the case, and the victims, most of the victims, knew exactly where I stood on it.”

Joplin, Shands and Wagner “all indicated to me they were willing to go to trial because they felt Mr. Sturgeon deserved that,” Oesterreicher said. “I talked to Mr. Sturgeon’s mother yesterday, and she indicated if he pled guilty to the murder, that was what she was concerned about.”

Oesterreicher said he told Sturgeon’s mother it would be “up to the judge to decide how many years he got.”

Wisdom faces 10 years to life.

Jones set sentencing for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 23.

Wisdom pleaded guilty in connection with the death of Sturgeon, found shot to death inside his Toyota Camry on the parking lot of the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Poplar Bluff.

According to earlier reports, Sturgeon died inside his car of gunshots to the neck and chest.

Authorities initially believed Sturgeon had been shot in his car on the Wal-Mart parking lot. But as officers pieced together witness statements, they learned the shooting happened on U.S. 67 south.

Officers said Sturgeon picked up Wisdom on the side of Highway 160 near Hillview sometime before 7 a.m.

While en route to Poplar Bluff, authorities believe Sturgeon retrieved a large-caliber handgun from the car’s center console when Wisdom began showing erratic behavior and a struggle ensued, resulting in shots being fired inside the car.

Wisdom fired shots at passing motorists before trying to remove Sturgeon from the car. Unable to do so, Wisdom drove himself to Wal-Mart seated in Sturgeon’s lap.

Wisdom was arrested when Poplar Bluff police officers found him lying inside Wal-Mart’s north entry doors after their arrival at 7:10 a.m.

When officers checked Sturgeon’s car, parked in a driving lane about 25 yards from the entrance, he was found belted in and slumped over in the driver’s seat.

When Wisdom was interviewed after his arrest, he said he had been using methamphetamine and had not slept in some time. He also said he had been given “some ‘bad dope.’”

Officers learned from witnesses the night of March 7, 2016, as well as the morning of the shooting, Wisdom had made such statements as: “They’ve got guns, and they’re trying to kill me.”

Authorities said Wisdom called 911 while in the car with Sturgeon, saying people were trying to kill him.

Pertinent address:

333 S. Westwood Blvd., Poplar Bluff, Mo.