Uniontown, Olive Branch men victims of homicides

A man faces murder charges in connection with the beating death of a Uniontown, Mo., resident near Perryville, Mo., while Illinois authorities are investigating an apparent homicide in Olive Branch.

The body of Kevin J. Hotop, 30, was discovered Thursday morning by Perry County sheriff's deputies along South Highway 51 in an area called Friendly Valley west of Perryville after a witness called to report an assault.

Authorities said Hotop was beaten and stomped and left to die.

Charged with first-degree murder is 20-year-old Bradley J. Lynch of St. Mary, Mo.

Jerry Merryman, 38, of Olive Branch, was found dead Thursday in a motel room at the Horseshoe Lake Inn in Olive Branch. Tight-lipped authorities suspect foul play, and an autopsy was being conducted late Thursday.

The Perry County sheriff's office received the call at 1:23 a.m. Thursday, said Sheriff Gary J. Schaaf, and deputies discovered Hotop's body in a ditch when they arrived.

Thursday afternoon, all that remained at the scene where Hotop died was a discarded pair of blue, latex gloves, the kind used by evidence technicians and paramedics.

Still, stunned family members pulled off the highway to gaze at the spot and try to work out the facts of Hotop's death.

"I can't believe it," said brother-in-law Michael Smith. "He grew up around here. I can't think of anybody who didn't know him and like him."

Wife in prison

Hotop's wife, Dawn, who currently is serving a seven-year prison sentence for stealing, is dealing with the situation as best she can, Smith said.

Hotop's sister-in-law Carrie Johnson said, "He was a big-hearted guy, the type who would give you the shirt off his back. He was the one who would step in to stop a fight."

Apparently, he had done just that a few hours before he died. Patrons at Remedies, a bar and grill down the road from where the body was found, reported Hotop had helped ease a heated situation between his friends and Lynch, who had come in with his own friends to play pool.

Words were exchanged, but the situation was quickly quieted, said tavern owner Mike Warren. Remedies has "zero tolerance" for fights and patrons understand and respect the policy, Warren said.

The bar closed at 1 a.m. as usual and Hotop headed north on foot towards town, Warren said. Lynch and his friends had already left.

Melvin Buerck of South Highway 51 said he didn't hear the assault that was practically in his front yard.

But across the street, Julie Compte was able to give a description of four men and a truck she saw at the scene. As a result, Perryville police Cpl. Derrick Hunt later in the day arrested four people.

Three were released, and Lynch remained Thursday night in the Perry County Jail at Perryville in lieu of bail.

Last year, Perryville was rocked by five homicides, a higher rate than any other similar-sized city in Missouri. Before that, the last murder was in 1994. Hotop's death was Perry County's first homicide this year.

Details unavailable

Police were mum about Merryman's death in Olive Branch. Illinois State Police provided a crime scene technician and two investigators to aid deputies from the Alexander County sheriff's office. Investigators from the Cairo-based drug task force were also on the scene.

Police spokesmen and officials at the county coroner's office declined to speculate about the cause of death, saying they are waiting for results from a forensic pathologist.

Merryman's body was taken to Evansville, Ind., for the autopsy, and a preliminary report is expected today.

Crain Funeral Home in Cairo will be in charge of arrangements for Merryman.

Funeral Mass for Hotop is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Perryville. Visitation is from 5-9 p.m. today at Miller Family Funeral Home with a wake at 6 p.m.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160