Portageville man pleads guilty to murder

A Portageville, Missouri, man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and first-degree burglary in the death of a former police officer and U.S. Marine.

Gunner L. Pind, 29, was sentenced last week in Pemiscot County Circuit Court to life in prison without the possibility of parole, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster's office reported.

Koster said Pind entered the Pemiscot County home of Roy Jerrolds, 60, with two other people in April. Pind shot the victim three times in the back of the head, stole the victim's possessions, including guns and electronics, and tried to set the house on fire to cover up the crime.

Jerrolds' body was discovered, however, before the house fully burned. Several days later, Pind was investigated for stealing from a job site, and a camera belonging to Jerrold was found among the possessions.

Pind later confessed to killing Jerolds. He pleaded guilty to the murder and burglary charges, along with armed criminal action, felony stealing and second-degree arson.

The state attorney general's office assisted the Pemiscot County prosecuting attorney in the case.