SLAIN WOMAN'S DAUGHTER CRITICAL OF PROSECUTOR

BENTON, Mo. -- After learning that charges have been reduced against two men accused of killing Willie Mae Vasquez, the woman's daughter wants Scott County Prosecuting Attorney Cristy Baker-Neel to take herself off the case.

An angry Susan Steel says she found out last week "on the street in Scott City" that the charges had been reduced from first- to second-degree murder. In a letter to the Southeast Missourian, Steel says the change amounts to Baker-Neel going behind the backs of everyone else involved: Steel, the lawmen and the private investigator whose work led to arrests in the killing of her 57-year-old mother.

Vasquez, a Scott City, Mo., resident, was last seen alive July 26, and her body was discovered Aug. 9 buried near the Mississippi River. On Aug. 10, Gary W. Biggs, 36, of Scott City and Charles "Scott" Biggs, 31, of Cape Girardeau were both charged with her murder.

Scott Biggs has told authorities that the three were near a quarry by the Mississippi River north of Scott City when Gary Biggs came out of bushes and hit Vasquez in the back of the head with a hatchet and once with a shovel after she fell to the ground.

Both men appeared before Associate Circuit Judge David C. Mann on Aug. 15.

Steel, who lives in Commerce, Mo., is upset that Baker-Neel didn't talk to her about the decision to reduce the charges. "I am the victim here," Steel said.

She wants a special prosecutor to replace Baker-Neel and also wants a grand jury to investigate the case.

She contends that Baker-Neel reduced the charges to avoid going to trial. "I don't think she's competent enough to try this case," Steel said.

Jerry Wolsey, a Cape Girardeau private investigator hired by Steel, said the decision to reduce the charges "came as a total shock to me. There's no doubt in my mind there's definitely a murder-in-the-first-degree case," he said.

A phone call seeking comment from Baker-Neel was not returned.

Christopher Davis, the Missouri public defender who represents Gary Biggs, confirmed that amended complaints have been filed against both men reducing the charges to second-degree murder. He did not know when the complaints were amended.

The amended complaints do not mean charges could not be elevated to first-degree murder at some future point, he said.

First-degree murder carries a penalty of life in prison without parole, or death. The penalty for second-degree murder ranges from 10 years to not more than 30 years or life in prison.

The preliminary hearing for the two men charged with murder is scheduled for Sept. 20.