On Sunday, December 8, 2019, the quiet suburb of Chesterfield, Missouri, became the scene of a tragic domestic violence incident involving 59-year-old Bobette Everhart Boal. Bobette was an interior designer who was well-regarded by friends and colleagues for her positive spirit and professional talent. She was living at the Baxter Crossing Apartments at the time, having moved out of the family home in Wildwood following a separation from her husband. According to court records, she had filed for divorce in August of that year, and the proceedings were nearing a critical point with a settlement conference scheduled for the upcoming Thursday.
In the early morning hours, around 12:45 a.m., Chesterfield police officers responded to calls of shots fired at the apartment complex. Upon arrival, they discovered Bobette’s body in the parking lot; she had sustained fatal gunshot wounds. Investigators determined that her estranged husband, 59-year-old Michael Boal, had confronted her at the location. Following an altercation in the parking lot, he shot her and fled the scene before authorities could arrive.
Approximately 45 minutes after the shooting, emergency responders received reports of a residential fire in the neighboring area of Wildwood, Missouri. The home, located on Dartmouth Gate Circle, was the residence Bobette and Michael had shared for nearly two decades before their separation. Firefighters arrived to find the house engulfed in flames. After extinguishing the blaze, they discovered the body of Michael Boal inside. Police investigations revealed that after killing his wife, Michael had returned to their former marital home, set the structure on fire, and then took his own life.
The incident was officially classified as a murder-suicide. Authorities noted that while the couple had been living under the same roof for some time while leading separate lives, the tension had escalated leading up to the scheduled court date. The couple left behind two adult children, Andrew and Kaitlyn, who were suddenly faced with the loss of both parents. In the aftermath of the tragedy, a dispute also arose regarding the couple's Doberman, Stanley, who was found in a car outside the burning home, though friends and family eventually rallied to ensure the dog was returned to the surviving children.
