Suspect in Cape man's slaying pleads not guilty

Melvin Scherrer was formally arraigned Friday and pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.

Scherrer, 51, of Bonne Terre, Missouri, is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, felonious restraint, abandonment of a corpse and tampering with physical evidence, all felonies.

Scherrer is accused of killing Cape Girardeau tattoo artist Samuel "Tick" Francis, whose body was found July 25, 2013, in a septic tank north of Bonne Terre.

Witnesses and electronic information placed Francis in Scherrer's home Dec. 18, 2012, the last day Francis' wife had communicated with her husband.

A Jan. 29, 2013, search of Scherrer's home turned up blood evidence containing Francis' DNA, according to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The same report states witnesses saw Scherrer hit Francis with a baseball bat and moved Francis from his residence while Francis still was alive.

Samuel "Tick" Francis

Scherrer was convicted of drug charges and firearms violations by a federal jury in St. Louis County in December 2014. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison in April.

His trial setting for the remaining charges is scheduled for Nov. 13 at 9 a.m.

bkleine@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address: 1 N. Washington St., Farmington, Mo.