In the summer of 2018, the life of 34-year-old Elise’ise Q. McNeal was tragically cut short in Columbia, Missouri. On June 15, her body was discovered by Boone County sheriff's deputies inside a residence on Hatton Chapel Road. An autopsy would later confirm that the female victim had died from gunshot wounds, having sustained a gunshot wound to the head as well as facial injuries and another gunshot wound to her torso.
The discovery was made when deputies were investigating a report
of stolen guns from that same address. The investigation quickly led them to a suspect, 33-year-old Jason Roy Anderson of Boonville. Anderson was apprehended a day before McNeal's body was found, following a confrontation with law enforcement in southwest Missouri. After a pursuit, he had reportedly aimed a. 22-caliber rifle at a Christian County deputy, but the weapon jammed. A search of his vehicle uncovered numerous firearms and 5,000 rounds of ammunition, which were connected to the home where McNeal was found deceased.
Court documents revealed a troubled relationship between Anderson and McNeal, marked by frequent arguments. Witnesses reported seeing Anderson point a rifle at McNeal during a prior dispute. The evidence against Anderson mounted as the investigation progressed. One of the firearms found in his possession was consistent with the murder weapon, and blood found on his shoes was a match to McNeal's DNA.
Consequently, Boone County prosecutors charged Jason Roy Anderson with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. In addition to the murder charge, he also faced a string of felony charges in Christian County, including first-degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and resisting arrest. Anderson was held in the Christian County jail without bond for these charges, with a separate bond set at $2 million for the first-degree murder charge in Boone County.
