Suspect in Poplar Bluff school inquiry found dead

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — A Poplar Bluff School District teacher who was on administrative leave and under investigation by law enforcement was found dead Wednesday morning.

Joel McDuffey, 37, softball head coach and baseball assistant coach, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Butler County Coroner Jim Akers.

It is believed McDuffey died sometime Tuesday, Akers said.

McDuffey was discovered shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday in his home by deputies with the Butler County Sheriff's Department who were attempting to serve an ex parte order, Sheriff Mark Dobbs said. An ex parte order is a temporary order of protection issued by a court.

Through the death investigation, the sheriff's department learned McDuffey was the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Poplar Bluff Police Department in relation to misconduct involving a student or students, Dobbs said. A joint investigation was conducted by the coroner's office and the sheriff's department.

Poplar Bluff School District officials released information March 25 that a high school employee had been placed on paid administrative leave because of allegations of a "breach of board policy regarding the professional conduct" of an employee at the high school related to a student.

Superintendent Scott Dill confirmed Wednesday that McDuffey had died, but said he could not release any additional information regarding the ongoing school investigation.

Poplar Bluff Police Department also confirmed Wednesday it had been conducting an investigation into the school district situation.

"During the ongoing investigation we learned the person of interest was deceased," said Police Chief Danny Whiteley. "At this point, (our) investigation is done. No further information will be released because the investigation was incomplete."

McDuffey was hired by the school district in July 2019 as a health teacher at the senior high, assistant varsity baseball coach, assistant varsity softball coach and assistant boys basketball coach at the junior high.

McDuffey graduated from Missouri Southern State University after playing basketball at Coastal State Alabama Community College.

He started his teaching career at Joplin High School in 2012. He spent three seasons at Northeast Vernon County and one at Sheldon, where he was both the boys and girls varsity basketball coach. He was later hired as an assistant girls varsity coach at McDonald County, his alma mater, prior to coming to Poplar Bluff.

Daily American Republic sports editor Brian Rosener contributed information for this article.