In the small town of Mansfield, Missouri, on June 1, 2022, the life of 37-year-old Zachery Charles Owens, a male Navy veteran and barber, was tragically cut short. On that Wednesday, an altercation with his uncle, Nick Owens, at Zachery's property would end in his death from a gunshot wound to the chest. The dispute reportedly began when Nick Owens arrived at his nephew's residence without permission, intending to take a trailer.
When Zachery confronted his uncle, the situation escalated, and Nick Owens fatally shot him. The entire incident was captured on a Ring security camera, providing crucial evidence for investigators. Deputies from the Wright County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the scene on Highway B, southwest of Mansfield, where they found Zachery Owens deceased.
Following an investigation into the shooting, Nick Owens, then 57, of Sparta, Missouri, was arrested and subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was held in the Wright County Jail without bond.
The case went to trial in Phelps County in March 2025. After a three-day trial, a jury found Nick Owens, then 60, guilty of the lesser charge of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. The jury recommended a sentence of 25 years for the murder conviction and an additional 15 years for the armed criminal action charge. According to Missouri law, these sentences are to be served consecutively. A formal sentencing hearing was scheduled for the following month.
