SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The former girlfriend of a murdered man from Rogersville changed her appearance but that didn't prevent her arrest. State troopers and Springfield police officers arrested April Guy about 11:55 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Lynn Street at Kansas Expressway in Springfield.
Guy was charged on Wednesday in Webster County with second-degree murder for the death of Russell Lawson. His mother found his body in his home in Rogersville on Monday morning. Her bond is set at $500,000.
A probable cause statement used as the basis of the charge says detectives learned Guy told some other people early Sunday that she and Lawson argued on Saturday night and she shot him twice with a .22-caliber weapon. That fits with investigators' assessment that Lawson was killed 24 to 48 hours before his body was found about 8:30 a.m. Monday.
The probable cause statement also says Guy used Lawson's cellular telephone on Saturday night and Sunday. Missouri State Trooper Daniel Nash also wrote that witnesses told detectives that Lawson and Guy had been together on Friday and Saturday. One witness told detectives that Lawson said, "If I show up dead, make sure you have the police talk to April."
After Lawson's body was found by his mother, law enforcement officers started looking for his missing pickup. They found out where Guy might be staying in Springfield, went to that location, and found Lawson't pickup, although Guy wasn't there. The pickup wasn't far from where Guy was arrested.
Guy pleaded guilty in Greene County to several crimes over the past few years, including two cases of domestic assault, two cases of leaving the scene of an accident, and driving while intoxicated. She was sentenced to time in the county jail or probation on each of them.
Last June, Guy was charged with unlawful use of a weapon for an incident that happened around Aug. 12, 2011, in Springfield. Last month, Guy failed to show up for a court hearing on that case, and a judge issued a warrant for her arrest. The probable cause statement for the murder case indicates Guy had left Springfield, but called people last weekend to tell them she was back.
If Guy is convicted of second-degree murder, she could face a prison sentence between 10 and 30 years (life).
