In the early hours of a March weekend in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, a dispute that began with words tragically escalated, leaving a visitor from Memphis, Tennessee, dead from a gunshot wound. The victim was identified as Edward Palmer, a 34-year-old male. The incident, which unfolded on March 9, 2019, cut short a life and led to a swift arrest in the heart of the city's downtown area.
The night had started like many others in the downtown bar scene, but for Edward Palmer and another man,
Charles Selvy, Jr., then 24, it would end in violence. According to witness accounts and video surveillance from the area, an argument broke out between the two men after they had departed from a local bar. The verbal confrontation, which took place in front of 2 North Main Street, quickly turned physical.
As the altercation intensified, a single gunshot rang out, fatally wounding Palmer. When law enforcement arrived, they found Palmer, who had succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The Cape Girardeau/Bollinger County Case Squad was activated to investigate the homicide. Their work, aided by witness statements and surveillance footage, promptly led them to a suspect.
Charles Selvy, Jr. was taken into custody in connection with the shooting. He was subsequently charged with Second Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action. Following his arrest, Selvy was jailed, with his bond set at $750,000. The investigation determined that the fatal shooting was the culmination of the argument and physical fight that had erupted between him and Palmer.
