On March 20, 2022, 64-year-old Rollin Gene Thompson II was fatally shot at his residence on Pinecrest Drive in Columbia, Missouri. The incident occurred following a domestic disturbance within the home he shared with his wife and stepson. Thompson, a male, had retreated to a bedroom and locked the door in an apparent attempt to distance himself from the escalating conflict.
He was unarmed and hiding behind the closed door when he was struck in the chest by gunfire.
Law enforcement identified the shooter as Thompson’s stepson, 23-year-old Samuel Ethan Brotherton. Following the shooting, Brotherton contacted 911 and reportedly admitted to the dispatcher that he was intoxicated and had shot his stepfather with a. 38-special revolver after an argument. Police arriving at the scene found Thompson with a fatal gunshot wound. Brotherton was taken into custody without further violence and was subsequently held in the Boone County Jail.
Brotherton was originally charged with first-degree murder, but the charges were later amended by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office following consultation with the victim's family and local prosecutors. In August 2023, Brotherton pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action. During the legal proceedings, the defense highlighted Brotherton's history of mental health struggles and severe Crohn’s disease as contributing factors to his state of mind, although prosecutors emphasized the cruel nature of the crime against an unarmed victim.
The sentencing hearing revealed a deep division within the family. Thompson's widow—who is also Brotherton's mother—testified in support of her son, describing him as a loving individual who struggled with illness, while Thompson's sister and elderly mother provided testimony condemning Brotherton's actions. Ultimately, the Boone County Circuit Court sentenced Samuel Brotherton to a total of 25 years in prison: 20 years for the murder charge and five years for armed criminal action, with credit given for the 579 days he had already served in jail.
