On a summer day in Morgan County, Missouri, the life of 71-year-old Beauford 'Beau' Wilson of Hallsville came to a tragic end. On June 30, 2024, his body was discovered by a neighbor near his beloved farm, found lying against a tree off Beechnut Road, south of Stover. His truck was parked nearby, hinting at a scene that was not as peaceful as it appeared. An autopsy would later confirm the grim reality: Wilson had sustained multiple gunshot wounds, including one to the head, and his death was officially ruled an intentional homicide. Investigators quickly suspected he had been killed at a different location and transported to Beechnut Road in the bed of his own Ford F-150. Evidence within the truck, including a bullet hole and a 9mm shell casing, supported this theory, as did the visible dried blood on the tailgate. His wallet was also missing.
The investigation into the death of the man, known for raising registered Highlander cattle, soon focused on a potential business dealing. It was discovered that one of Wilson's last outgoing phone calls on the morning of his death was to 50-year-old Chad Lawrence Armstrong. The conversation, which lasted less than a minute, was believed to be related to Wilson's interest in purchasing Armstrong's property for $200,000, likely to expand his cattle operation. This connection, coupled with inconsistencies in Armstrong's statements to law enforcement, drew the attention of the Morgan County Sheriff's office.
Technological evidence played a crucial role in unraveling the events of that fateful day. Location data from Wilson's truck revealed it had been at Armstrong's residence on June 29th at 11:51 AM. A significant gap in the vehicle's GPS data followed, a phenomenon the Missouri State Highway Patrol explained could only occur if the antenna was tampered with or the battery was disconnected and reconnected elsewhere. The truck's next GPS ping was on June 30th at the location where Wilson's body was found. Further investigation uncovered that Wilson's phone was used one minute after his truck was shown to be at Armstrong's property. A search of Armstrong's home and vehicle produced a 9mm shell casing, and security system footage from his property captured the sound of two gunshots in rapid succession around 11:55 AM on June 29th. It was also noted that Armstrong, a convicted felon, was legally prohibited from owning firearms.
On July 12, 2024, Chad Armstrong was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Beauford Wilson. He is being held at the Morgan County Detention Center on a no-bond warrant. As the legal proceedings began, a motion for a change of venue was granted, moving the trial to Moniteau County.
