Poplar Bluff man sentenced to prison for role in murder

A Poplar Bluff, Mo., man was sentenced Monday to 20 years in a state prison for the murder of John Lee Griffin. Cape Girardeau County Circuit Judge William Syler levied the penalty for Calvin Lee "CC" Smith Jr., 33, in a Cape Girardeau County courtroom.

Smith pleaded guilty May 4 to second-degree murder in connection with the death of Griffin, 54, in July 2008.

"I asked for 25 years," Butler County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Barbour said.

Pamela Musgraves of the public defender's office argued for a sentence less than 25 years.

Griffin's body was found July 12, 2008, in an outhouse behind an unoccupied residence in the 400 block of County Road 614.

The Poplar Bluff Police Department became aware of Griffin's death after someone reported overhearing a conversation about Smith killing Griffin, according to police chief Danny Whiteley.

Members of the Butler County/Poplar Bluff Major Case Squad, including Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Dennis Overbey and Butler County Sheriff Mark Dobbs, conducted an investigation and found Griffin's body.

Authorities said Griffin died from a gunshot wound to the head. He apparently had been dead nine days.

Smith was interviewed by Poplar Bluff Detective Corey Mitchell, Missouri State Water Patrol criminal investigator Jeff Johnson and Ryan Becker with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Cape Girardeau.

Whiteley said Smith eventually admitted his involvement in the murder. Authorities believe the shooting was the result of an apparent drug debt.

Pertinent address:

1 Barton Square, Jackson, Mo.