State troopers nab murder suspect with Cape ties

A Cape Girardeau man was in custody late Wednesday night on charges he shot a man to death Sunday near Hiram, Missouri.

Michael Burkman, 47, is accused of killing John C. Fowler, 57.

Burkman was charged Monday with first-degree murder and armed criminal action by Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Jackson.

Wayne County, Missouri, Sheriff Dean Finch said police caught up to Burkman when he crashed the stolen truck he was driving after a chase in St. Joseph, Missouri.

"They got into a high-speed pursuit with him in St. Joe," Finch said in a telephone interview late Wednesday night. "They lost sight of him, an dthen he had an accident with an 18-wheeler."

Finch described Burkman's injuries as "minor to none." He said no one else was injured in the crash.

Burkman broke into a house Wednesday morning near McGee, Missouri, in Wayne County and stole the truck and a gun, Finch said.

"He broke into the house, and according to the victims, he drank a couple of beers and ate some hot dogs and cottage cheese and took him a shower and then stole the truck and a .22 rifle and ammunition and left," he said. "... He got his belly full."

The house was the second Burkman had broken into in two days, Finch said.

On Tuesday, Burkman broke into a house in Bollinger County, Missouri, and stole a four-wheeler, several guns and a change of clothes, Finch said.

"I think he drank him some Scotch there," he said.

Fowler's death was the second homicide in Wayne County this year.

The body of Kenneth Willard, 53, of Bismarck, Missouri, was recovered Jan. 24 from the Black River in Wayne County

Russell Mayberry, 30, of Zalma, Missouri, has been charged with first-degree murder in Bollinger County in connection with that case. Mayberry's father, Roger Mayberry, 59, also of Zalma, faces charges of evidence tampering and hindering prosecution in that case.

Earlier Wednesday evening, police scanner traffic had indicated the Missouri State Highway Patrol had sent out a bulletin telling officers Burkman might be driving a 2001 extended-cab GMC Sierra pickup truck.

A dispatcher advised officers the truck had been seen crossing the Cape Girardeau County line about 5:45 p.m. as it headed north on Route 25 near Delta. About 6:15 p.m., the dispatcher could be heard telling an officer the pickup truck also had been spotted driving around the area a few minutes earlier.

"That wasn't confirmed, and then, you know, we just kept following leads, and we had a command center set up at the Duck Creek area today," Finch said. "... We was just running the roads and looking for him, but of course, he was gone."

Earlier this week, Finch said officers had learned Fowler was a resident of St. Peters, Missouri, who had been living in Heaven's Hope Campground off County Road 224 in the Hiram area.

The Wayne County Sheriff's Department received a call at 11:15 a.m. Sunday from a motorist who had driven up on what was reported as an all-terrain vehicle accident on County Road 224 near Highway OO, Finch said. The location was near the private campground.

"Upon arriving, my officer observed Mr. Fowler laying face down on the gravel road. Mr. Fowler was found to be deceased," said Finch, who indicated the ATV was within 10 feet of Fowler's body.

Upon checking Fowler's body, authorities discovered a gunshot wound to his "upper back area. ... We seen at least three wounds on him," Finch said.

Additional shotgun wounds were found on Fowler's left lower leg and "middle ways of (his) back to the left side," Finch said.

An autopsy later revealed the shotgun wounds caused Fowler's death.

Finch said Burkman and Fowler knew each other, but the motive for Fowler's death is not known.

Burkman, who is being held without bond, also was wanted in Bollinger County on charges stemming from an unrelated investigation. He was charged July 14 with second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest.

Online court records show Burkman has several prior offenses, including DWI, passing bad checks and forgery.

Michelle Friedrich of the Daily American Republic contributed some information for this story.