Sikeston man acquitted on all charges in April murder case

A Sikeston, Missouri, man has been acquitted of murder in connection with an April shooting that left one person dead and another seriously injured.

On Wednesday, Dec. 13, a jury in Reynolds County, Missouri, acquitted Tanner Watkins of all charges related to the April 25 shooting at Rotary Park that left Isiah Fitzgerald of Sikeston and an 18-year-old Chaffee, Missouri, woman wounded.

Watkins and Kaleb Ramsey of Morehouse, Missouri, were charged in Scott County with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, three counts of first-degree assault and four counts of unlawful use of a weapon.

Russ Oliver of Dexter, Missouri, who served as Watkins' attorney, said the incident began as a potential fist fight and Watkins acted to defend his brother.

According to a release from Oliver, Tanner Watkins and his brother, Tyler, arrived at the park in separate vehicles. At that point, two individuals began firing at them.

"Early in the course of the ambush, Tyler's car was immobilized after being struck by a .40 caliber bullet fired by Levi Morgan. Tyler and his passenger were 100% unarmed and gunshot residue tests confirmed neither had fired a weapon that day. Tanner's brother and his passenger were sitting ducks in the middle of the open park as the Morgan brothers continued to rain down dozens of bullets on their immobilized car," the release says. "As Tanner was leaving the park after having been shot at by the Morgan brothers, he realized his brother's car was not moving and was still being shot at by the Morgan brothers. It was only at this point that Tanner stopped his vehicle, stood in the open park drawing the fire off his brother's car and onto himself, and then returned fire (with a gun that was always in his vehicle) to save his brother's life and the life of his brother's passenger."

Oliver said the evidence did not prove Tanner Watkins shot either of the victims.

"This case and the actions of Tanner Watkins that day was a clear lawful use of self-defense and defense of another. Anyone put in Tanner's unfortunate position would have done whatever was necessary to save the life of his brother and his friend."

Ramsey is set for a plea/trial setting hearing in Scott County court Thursday, Dec. 14.