A Springfield man, 30-year-old Preston B. Watts, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action after he allegedly shot his uncle, Jonathan L. McCrary, multiple times during a dispute about money at their shared home. The incident escalates earlier threats, as Watts claimed his “fear turned into just rage” before standing over McCrary and firing several shots, ultimately killing him.
Complicating the legal implications, Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson asserts that Missouri’s Castle Doctrine, which permits deadly force for self-defense in one’s home, does not apply in this case since both men lived at the residence. Authorities report that while Watts had a prior criminal history, no weapon was found on McCrary when police arrived following the shooting.
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