In the early morning hours of November 2, 2014, a tragic series of events unfolded in El Dorado Springs, Missouri, leading to the death of 25-year-old Matthew Scott Chism, a male Cedar County Sheriff's Deputy. Just after midnight, Deputy Chism attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driving without headlights. The driver, however, refused to stop, initiating a vehicle pursuit.
The chase took a turn when a passenger exited the vehicle at the intersection of Hickory and High Streets and fled on foot. Deputy Chism gave chase, leading to a physical struggle between the two men.
During the altercation, gunfire was exchanged, and both Deputy Chism and the suspect were shot. Deputy Chism was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. He was later identified as William A. Collins, 28, of El Dorado Springs.
The driver of the vehicle that fled from Deputy Chism was later located at a nearby residence and taken into custody. The driver was identified as Joshua Jay Brown, 28, also of El Dorado Springs. Brown was subsequently charged with second-degree murder, possession of a controlled substance, and tampering with evidence.
Joshua Brown stood trial and, in May 2016, a Greene County jury found him guilty of felony murder, hindering prosecution, possession of methamphetamine, and tampering with evidence in connection with Deputy Chism's death. However, in a controversial move, the presiding judge set aside the jury's felony murder conviction. The judge sentenced Brown to 10 years in prison on the other charges, to run concurrently with a 14-year sentence he was already serving for a probation violation, resulting in no additional prison time for his role in the events that led to the death of Deputy Chism.
