A Baptist pastor in Missouri’s Ozarks has been granted bond after spending two years in jail for allegedly shooting his wife’s lover outside of a busy restaurant in broad daylight.
Matthew Dedmon — a 49-year-old pastor from Springfield — drove his truck to the Ozark Courthouse Square Historic District and spotted his wife, according to KYTV-TV. He reportedly noticed that she was with 57-year-old Joe Newburn, whom Dedmon believed was having an affair with his wife.
However, Judge Johnson on Oct. 1 reversed her own decision and went from no bond to $30,000.
“The evidence is that defendant possessed a loaded gun on the square in Ozark outside a busy restaurant, and that gun was discharged three to four times, resulting in the victim’s death. This put everyone on the square in grave danger. There was evidence that this conduct was out of character for defendant, which causes concern about defendant’s decision-making and judgment,” Judge Laura Johnson wrote in September 2022.
The Ozark Police Department said in a statement: “The victim was pronounced deceased upon arrival at Cox South Hospital in Springfield.”
Dedmon was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
“The seriousness of the charge increases the risk that defendant will not appear,” Judge Johnson ruled. “For these reasons, the court will detain defendant without bond.”
However, Judge Johnson on Oct. 1 reversed her own decision and went from no bond to $30,000. Dedmon — a pastor of Heritage Baptist Church in Rogersville — was released on the condition that he wear a GPS monitoring device and remain on house arrest.
“Defendant may leave his home only for court appearances and emergency medical attention,” Johnson declared.
A defense filing from before the latest ruling reveals that Dedmon’s attorneys argued that their client should be granted bond.
As of Wednesday, Christian County Jail records did not indicate Dedmon had been released.
Dedmon’s murder trial is scheduled to begin March 3.
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