A Morgan County Deputy arrested 50 year-old Chad Armstrong on Friday, July 12. Armstrong is now being held at the Morgan County Detention Center on a no bond warrant. Charges are First degree murder and armed criminal action. He is accused of killing Beauford Wilson of Hallsville MO, who was found dead by a Buffalo Creek neighbor on Sunday, June 30, after Wilson’s truck was seen by the side of Beechnut Road, south of Stover.
The Morgan County Sheriff’s office began investigating the case, and an autopsy confirmed it was intentional homicide from multiple gunshot wounds. According to the probable cause statement, Wilson’s wallet and its contents were not found with him at the scene. Investigators were told Wilson usually carried a large amount of money on his person. Deputies believed Wilson was killed at a different location and then moved to Beechnut Road in his own truck bed.
According to the Probable Cause statement, deputies found a bullet hole in the bed of Wilson’s Ford F-150 as well as a 9mm shell casing. Dried blood was also visible on the inner tailgate. On July 3, Wilson’s truck location data was examined. It reportedly said the vehicle was at Armstrong’s residence on June 29 at 11:51 AM. Then there was a gap in the vehicle’s GPS data. The next GPS data log was on June 30 at 8:40 AM, where Wilson’s body was found.
According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the only way for the GPS to have a large gap in readings would be if the antenna is tampered with or the vehicle’s battery is unhooked and then reattached at a different location.
A search warrant revealed that one of Wilson’s last outgoing phone calls happened the morning of his death at 9:59 AM. He allegedly talked to Armstrong for less than a minute. A message from June 24 revealed that Wilson wanted to purchase Armstrong’s property for $200,000, according to the Probable Cause statement. The 71 year-old Wilson raised registered Highlander cattle and may have wanted to increase the size of his acreage to support the cattle herd. Data from Wilson’s phone showed it was used at 11:52 AM on June 29, one minute after data from the truck indicated the vehicle was allegedly at Armstrong’s residence.
During a July 4 interview, Armstrong allegedly told investigators the last time he saw Wilson was 10 days prior when Wilson offered to buy his land. Armstrong had security cameras but the only available footage was from 3:30 PM on June 29, moving forward. In other words, two or more hours after Wilson was killed, according to the autopsy conclusion.
Deputies executed a search warrant at Armstrong’s residence on July 5. A 9mm shell casing was found in his Chevrolet truck, according to the Probable Cause statement. Armstrong as a convicted felon is not allowed to own firearms. Two security systems were seized. Authorities obtained audio and video footage, which revealed two gunshots, clearly heard in rapid succession at 11:55 AM on June 29.
Armstrong was interviewed multiple times as the case evolved and continually made conflicting statements. It was learned on July 10 that the suspect was allegedly needing money and not happy with the possibility of being forced to sell his coin collection.
