Teen charged with murder in Missouri couple’s fatal shooting
A 16-year-old has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the slaying of an elderly couple in Buchanan County, authorities said Sunday.
The bodies of James Johnson, 72, and Betty Johnson, 76, were discovered at about 1 a.m. Saturday outside a rural northwest Missouri home. Both victims died from gunshot wounds, and the incident is being investigated as a double homicide, the sheriff’s office said.
The 16-year-old white male suspect was taken into custody at a separate location and remains in juvenile custody after being charged with two counts of second-degree murder, said Linda Meyer, 5th Judicial Circuit chief juvenile officer. A detention hearing will be held in juvenile court on Tuesday morning. The suspect’s name is being withheld because he is a juvenile.
Lynn Horsley, lhorsley@kcstar.com.
This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 9:37 AM with the headline "Teen charged with murder in Missouri couple’s fatal shooting."