In the early hours of a frigid February morning in 2019, the life of 24-year-old Mason R. Teel, a male resident of Belton, Missouri, was tragically cut short. Teel was discovered unresponsive on the icy driveway of his home in the 200 block of Manor Drive, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. He was found without a coat or shoes, suggesting he may have stepped outside his residence, which he shared with roommates, shortly before the fatal encounter.
The incident marked the first homicide of the year in the city of Belton.
Family members, reeling from the sudden and violent loss, remembered Teel as a handsome young man with a beautiful smile who never parted from loved ones without a hug and an 'I love you.' His aunt recalled a childhood filled with summers and holidays spent playing in the creek, shooting paintball guns, and playing video games with his cousins, who were like brothers to him. The devastating news came just days after Teel had celebrated his birthday, leaving his family not only to mourn but also to grapple with the perplexing question of who was responsible for his death and why.
The investigation into Teel's murder soon focused on someone he knew, confirming the family's initial fears. A few days after the shooting, Belton police announced the arrest of 21-year-old Demetrius Dontae Singh. The revelation was a shock to Teel's family, as Singh was a childhood friend of the victim. Investigators discovered evidence on Teel's cellphone indicating plans for a marijuana transaction with Singh on the night of the murder. According to the driver of the vehicle that brought Singh to Teel's home, who was not charged in the incident, Singh believed he had been shorted in the deal.
Singh was subsequently charged with first-degree murder. During a preliminary hearing in October 2019, a judge determined there was enough evidence for the case to proceed, and Singh was bound over for trial in Cass County Circuit Court. He was held in the Cass County Jail on a $1 million bond. The prosecution presented a witness who saw a car arrive at Teel's driveway and heard gunshots before observing the wounded victim. Despite the charges and the progression of the case to trial, further details regarding the verdict and any subsequent sentencing of Demetrius Dontae Singh are not available in the public record.
