In the winter of 2022, a domestic disturbance in Joplin, Missouri, tragically ended the life of 17-year-old Prayer Nickelsen. On the evening of January 9th, emergency services received a 911 call reporting gunshots at a residence on South Connor Avenue. Upon their arrival, police officers discovered the young female with a single gunshot wound. She was immediately transported to a local hospital in critical condition.
At the scene, investigators detained an adult male, who was later
identified as 59-year-old Todd J. Mayes, the victim's father. According to court documents, an argument had erupted between Mayes and his daughter, Prayer. During the dispute, she allegedly threw a glass bottle at him. In response, Mayes is said to have retrieved a firearm from downstairs and shot his daughter in the abdomen. Prayer Nickelsen succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead the following morning, on January 10, 2022.
Following the investigation into the fatal shooting, Todd J. Mayes was arrested and taken into custody at the Joplin City Jail. The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's Office filed formal charges against him, which included first-degree murder and armed criminal action. The case proceeded to a jury trial where the central issue revolved around Mayes' claim of self-defense.
After hearing the evidence presented by both the prosecution and the defense, the jury ultimately found Todd J. Mayes guilty of the lesser-included offense of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action. Subsequently, Mayes appealed his conviction to the Missouri Court of Appeals, Southern District. The basis of his appeal centered on the trial court's decision to permit a police detective to demonstrate for the jury how Mayes had held the weapon during the incident. However, in a decision issued on December 2, 2024, the appellate court affirmed the original judgment of the trial court, upholding the conviction.
