Two men robbed, one shot after rural party

JACKSON, Mo. -- A party in rural Cape Girardeau County ended when two Jackson men were assaulted and robbed by what police described as a local gang. One of the victims was shot in the back and arm and robbed of $40 before being left naked in a nearby front yard, police said.

The victims -- Patrick Shannon, 30, and Gary Allen, 28 -- were treated over the weekend at St. Francis Medical Center. Allen, who was shot in the back and in the arm from a distance, was released Sunday. Shannon, who was beaten and kicked and robbed of $180, was released Monday.

Hospital officials provided no details on the men's conditions except to say they must have been relatively minor wounds to have been released so soon.

Charged were: Justin Leon Murphy, 18, of Gravelhill, Mo.; Clint Aron Estraca, 19, of Jackson; Andrew Ryan Mclendon, 17, of Shawneetown, Mo.; and Brandon Elliott Dubois, 18, of Fruitland, Mo. A juvenile whose name was not released was also taken into custody.

Each of the adult suspects was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of first-degree assault and one count of armed criminal action. All were in custody Monday in lieu of $75,000 bails except Murphy, whose bail was set at $100,000.

Lt. David James of the Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department said Allen and Shannon were at a party at Murphy's home on County Road 370 in the Gravelhill area near Burfordville, Mo., Saturday night and early Sunday morning.

Sheriff's deputies responded to a call at 4:35 a.m. Sunday that a naked man had been shot and robbed in the area, James said. Deputies learned that Allen had been stripped of his clothes and wallet, which contained $40.

The man had been shot in the back and in the arm with a small-caliber handgun as he was attempting to flee, James said. Murphy is thought to have shot Allen, James said. While Allen was hit twice, James said Murphy fired several more shots.

James said it was amazing Allen wasn't hurt worse.

"They didn't hit any vital organs or anything, and it went through the flesh of his arm," James said.

Deputies also learned that Shannon had been had been robbed and severely beaten, James said.

Asked to elaborate on how the suspects are in a gang, James said law enforcement has suspected the men of other crimes such as burglaries and thefts.

"It's how they refer to themselves," James said. "Not like the Crips or the Bloods. This group of boys is well known to law enforcement and been under investigation for various crimes."

smoyers@semissourian.com

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