On July 4, 2021, authorities in Ash Grove, Missouri, responded to a fatal shooting incident that claimed the life of 47-year-old Cory Michael Estey. The shooting occurred on a property where Estey, a contractor, had been working on renovations. The confrontation began when Lakota Gilbert Tucker, a 21-year-old man from Walnut Grove, arrived at the residence to retrieve personal items belonging to his late mother, who had previously lived there.
Tucker, who did not reside at the property at the time, encountered Estey upon his arrival.
According to investigation reports and court testimony, the interaction between the two men quickly escalated. Tucker claimed that he believed he had permission to be on the premises to collect a deer stand and other belongings. He later told investigators that Estey approached him aggressively, demanding to know why he was there. Tucker alleged that he fired his weapon in self-defense, initially claiming he was hallucinating or that the victim had threatened him. However, evidence presented at trial, including recorded jailhouse phone calls, contradicted his self-defense narrative. Tucker admitted to firing a rifle from his vehicle, striking Estey, before fleeing the scene. He surrendered to deputies approximately 45 minutes after the shooting, confessing to being the shooter.
In September 2022, a jury found Lakota Gilbert Tucker guilty of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. During the legal proceedings, prosecutors argued that Tucker's actions were not justified, and the jury rejected his claims of self-defense. On November 8, 2022, Tucker was sentenced to a total of 22 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sentence structure included consecutive terms, ensuring a significant period of incarceration for the crimes committed.
