Suspect caught in Hwy. 53 shooting, another sought

One of two suspects wanted in connection with a weekend shooting that injured a man in Poplar Bluff is in custody.

Michael Melvin, 38, of Poplar Bluff was arrested before dawn Thursday by Ripley County law enforcement.

The second suspect, Michael Fry, 34, of Poplar Bluff, is still at large.

Phillips

“Fry is considered armed and dangerous,” Poplar Bluff Police Chief Danny Whiteley said.

Ripley County Sheriff Mike Barton said at 3 a.m. Thursday his office and the Doniphan Police Department received information one of the suspects was at a residence in Ripley County on Highway 21 in the north end of the county.

“In the last few days Chief Danny Whiteley had been staying in contact with me and updating me with information,” Barton said.

When Barton received information one of the suspects was in the county, he, along with Sgt. Jesse Drum, Chief Deputy Charlie Mays, who is the county’s canine officer, and Doniphan Police Sgt. Mark Capps responded to the residence.

“Upon entering the residence we found a male suspect and a female suspect asleep in a bedroom,” said Barton, who added he identified Melvin

The female was Lashawn Phillips, 36, of Poplar Bluff.

“After we took both into custody it was confirmed both had warrants out of the Butler County Sheriff’s Department,” Barton said, “Both subjects were transported to the county line and turned over to a Butler County Deputy (Ben Chamblin) and Poplar Bluff Police Detective (Corey Mitchell).

“We also found a small amount of methamphetamines, marijuana and methamphetamine paraphernalia — a glass pipe — was found in the same area. These items were taken into custody,” Barton added.

Outside the residence was a Dodge Durango reported stolen out of Butler County, which Barton impounded.

Melvin was arrested on warrants for assault in the first degree and probation violation.

Phillips had warrants through Butler County for failure to appear for unlawful possession of an illegal weapon, and failure to appear for driving while revoked or suspended; Poplar Bluff Police Department failure to appear no proof of insurance and driving while revoked; and a warrant from Carter County for non-support.

“I want to personally thank Sheriff Mike Barton and his officers for helping us bring this person into custody without anyone in this community and law enforcement getting hurt,” Whiteley said. “It is just another example of the great working relationship we have in Southeast Missouri with all of our law enforcement partners.”

The alleged shooting occurred around 5 p.m. Saturday after a Ford Explorer and another vehicle left the Villa on Highway 53, according to earlier reports. It is believed to be the result of an incident that started at the Villa and escalated.

Shots were fired from the Ford Explorer as the two vehicles traveled west in the 1400 section of Highway 53.

A 27-year-old male in a Nissan Quest van was shot in the arm and later treated at Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center. The man and two other people in the van, a 32-year-old female and a 51-year-old male, are all of Poplar Bluff. No one else was injured but the van was struck several times.

Police believe a .9-mm and a .22-caliber weapon were used.