Alexander Koch

On the evening of August 18, 2017, a domestic dispute in Bowling Green, Missouri, escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 31-year-old Alexander Koch. Residing at a home on Route Y southwest of the city, Koch lived with his mother and stepfather, 60-year-old Michael Allan Black. The events leading up to the tragedy reportedly began with a physical altercation inside the residence. According to later statements, Black claimed that Koch had struck him repeatedly with a skateboard during this initial confrontation, causing a head injury. Following this fight, Koch left the premises for approximately fifteen minutes, creating a brief window of separation between the two men.

During Koch's absence, Black retrieved a. 357 Smith & Wesson revolver from a bedroom and positioned himself on the back patio to await his stepson's return. When Koch arrived back at the residence, the conflict resumed, and Black discharged the weapon, striking Koch once in the abdomen. Authorities received a call reporting the disturbance around 10:13 p.m., with reports indicating that one of the children in the home initially called for help before Koch’s mother took over the line to report that her husband had shot her son.

Upon arriving at the scene, Pike County Sheriff's deputies discovered Koch suffering from the gunshot wound. He was urgently transported to Pike County Memorial Hospital in Louisiana, Missouri, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries. At the residence, law enforcement found Michael Black displaying a calm demeanor; he was standing on a patio table smoking a cigarette, with the revolver tucked into the rear waistband of his pants. When questioned by officers, Black allegedly admitted to the shooting, stating that he was tired of being beaten by his stepson.

Black was immediately taken into custody and initially charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was held on a one million dollar cash-only bond, which was later reduced during the pre-trial phase. The case proceeded to trial in July 2021 at the Pike County Courthouse. Over the course of four days, jurors heard testimony regarding the tumultuous relationship between the two men and the specific events of that night. The trial was marked by high emotions, resulting in Koch's mother being taken into custody for improper conduct after repeatedly disrupting the proceedings despite warnings from the judge.

Ultimately, the jury returned a guilty verdict for Michael Allan Black, convicting him of second-degree murder and armed criminal action rather than the original first-degree charge. On July 23, 2021, the court handed down a sentence of 25 years for the murder conviction and an additional 10 years for the armed criminal action, bringing a legal conclusion to the violent episode that ended Alexander Koch's life.