Report: Argument Leads To Fatal Shooting

— An argument Friday night between a rural McDonald County man and his ex-girlfriend apparently led to the man being fatally shot by the woman’s new boyfriend, according to reports from the McDonald County Sheriff’s Department.

Brian Clapper, 31, of Bentonville, was in the McDonald County Jail in Pineville, Mo., on Monday in lieu of a $50,000 cash bond.

At his arraignment Monday in McDonald County Circuit Court, Clapper pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action.

Sheriff Robert Evenson said deputies responded about 9:30 p.m. Friday to a reported shooting at 445 Cecil Epling Way in eastern McDonald County.

When deputies arrived, they found John Bevill II, 34, at a storage shed, dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.

A second man, Kendrick Long, 34, of Rogers, was found at Bevill’s residence, about a quarter-mile from where Bevill was found. Long suffered a gunshot wound to the arm. He was transported by air ambulance to Freeman West Hospital in Joplin, Mo. Evenson said Long underwent surgery and doctors were able to save his arm.

After their initial investigation, deputies and Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers went to a residence on Missouri 90, four to five miles from where the shooting occurred and they took Clapper into custody without incident.

Clapper shot Bevill twice with a pump shotgun during an argument between Bevill and Karis Cunigan, according to a probable cause statement. Deputy Jeff Berryhill reported Cunigan and Bevill were in a relationship, but have been separated about three months.

Clapper and Cunigan went to the storage facility to retrieve Cunigan’s belongings when they were spotted by Bevill and Long. Berryhill said Bevill pulled in front of Clapper, blocking his vehicle. He said Bevill got out of his vehicle and grabbed Cunigan by the throat with his right hand while he had a knife in his left.

Clapper retrieved a shotgun from his vehicle and told Bevill to let Cunigan go or he would shoot. Clapper then fired twice, the first shot hitting Bevill in the arm and continuing into the chest. His second shot hit the man in the groin, according to the affidavit.

After shooting Bevill, Clapper turned and fired two rounds at Long, hitting him once in the right arm at the elbow, according to the affidavit. 

Evenson said the 12-gauge shotgun was loaded with a special slug that also contained three buckshot pellets.

“A 12-gauge slug is lethal and one with pellets makes it more so,” Evenson said. “It’s a modern version of the old ‘buck and ball.’”

Clapper’s next court appearance is a pre-trial conference set for Oct. 31.

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