A Baptist pastor in Missouri's Ozarks, Matthew Dedmon, was issued a $30,000 bond after spending two years in jail for allegedly shooting his wife's lover. The incident occurred on May 28, 2022, when Dedmon shot Joe Newburn multiple times in the chest after allegedly spotting him with his wife in a car outside a restaurant in the Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District.
Newburn tragically passed away the following day at Cox South Hospital, as reported by the Ozark Police Department. Dedmon, who is the pastor of Heritage Baptist Church, was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action and had been held without bond for two years.
Judge Laura Johnson initially deemed Dedmon a grave danger to the public and denied him bond due to the serious nature of the charges and concerns about his decision-making and judgment. However, on October 1, the judge granted Dedmon a $30,000 bond under the conditions of wearing a GPS monitoring device and remaining on house arrest.
Legal disputes between Dedmon's attorneys and state attorneys over witness endorsements and discovery prolonged the case for over two years. Dedmon's defense argued that the state's delays in endorsing witnesses violated his constitutional rights under Missouri law.
The victim, Joe Newburn, was described as a skilled individual who was well-liked by his community. He is survived by two children and several grandchildren.
Dedmon's murder trial is scheduled to commence on March 3. Christian County Prosecuting Attorney Kristen Tuohy was unavailable for immediate comment, and as of the latest update, Dedmon remains in custody at Christian County Jail.
