In a quiet home in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, a domestic argument tragically escalated, leaving a 49-year-old man, Steven Scott, dead on his own porch. The male victim was discovered face-down, a knife gripped in his hand, in what was initially presented as a case of self-defense. The events unfolded on a Sunday in November 2018, forever altering the lives of those involved.
Authorities responding to the scene found Scott's wife and another man, 55-year-old David Morgeson, at the residence.
The initial account given to investigators was that Scott and his wife had been arguing, which prompted her to call Morgeson for assistance. They claimed that upon Morgeson's arrival with a rifle, Scott confronted him with a knife. A scuffle ensued, they alleged, during which the rifle discharged, killing Scott. This narrative, however, quickly began to unravel under scrutiny from the Butler County Sheriff's Department.
As investigators pressed for more details, the story of a self-defense shooting gave way to a darker admission. Scott's wife and Morgeson eventually confessed that the scene had been staged. Morgeson had shot Scott, and then, in an attempt to justify the killing, they had placed the knife in Scott's hand after he was already deceased. Following this confession, David Morgeson was taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and held on a $500,000 bond for his role in the death of Steven Scott.
