In the small town of Bernie, Missouri, a heated family dispute culminated in the tragic death of 62-year-old Timmy D. Carwile. On the afternoon of Sunday, February 21, 2021, Carwile, a male resident of the community, was found shot to death inside his apartment located at 314 Alice Street. The discovery, made shortly before 2 p.m., marked the first homicide in the area since January of the previous year.
The investigation into Carwile's death quickly centered on a family-related conflict. Authorities identified Anthony Thomas Jenkins Sr. as the primary suspect. According to court documents, the conflict between Jenkins and Carwile had been escalating over the weekend, with several arguments taking place over the phone where they had agreed to fight. The dispute reportedly intensified when Carwile allegedly made threats toward Jenkins' girlfriend.
On the day of the fatal encounter, Jenkins armed himself with a Glock. 22 and waited for Carwile. When Carwile arrived and began banging on the door, Jenkins opened it, leading to a physical altercation. During the struggle, Jenkins fired multiple shots into Carwile's chest. Although Jenkins initially claimed he acted in self-defense, even showing investigators a scratch on his chest as proof, he later admitted to having inflicted the scratch on himself out of fear after the shooting.
Following the investigation by the Stoddard County Major Case Squad, Anthony Thomas Jenkins Sr. was arrested and faced multiple charges, including second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and tampering with physical evidence. He was held without bond in the Stoddard County jail. An autopsy was scheduled to determine the exact number of times Carwile had been shot.
