Two counts of murder; police say Piersee shot wife, beat son

 

LAGRANGE, MO. (WGEM) — 24-year-old Christopher Piersee faces two charges of second degree murder.

Lewis County Prosecuting Attorney Jules De Coster says Piersee shot and killed his wife, 21-year-old Patricia Piersee, and killed their 6-month-old son, Landon, by “striking him in the head with his fist or other object.”

If convicted, Christopher Piersee faces a sentence of anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.  Charges of second degree murder do not allege that the crime is premeditated, as is the case with first degree murder.

Autopsies are underway and De Coster says the charges may change after the autopsies and the investigation have concluded.

Piersee is being held without bond at the Lewis County Jail. No arraignment has been scheduled.

 

 

“It’s a tragedy, and we’re trying to get to the bottom of it to try and stop this,” LaGrange Police Chief Larry Penn said.

LaGrange Police were called to the Piersee’s home Tuesday at 9:40 AM. Authorities confirm Patricia Piercee’s father discovered Christopher Piersee inside the home with his dead daughter and grandson.

Penn says officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at the home a few months back. He says the Piersee family had only lived in LaGrange for less than a year.

“The cause of death for both folks at this time is yet to be determined. We suspect that there could be or was weapons used. We don’t want to speculate on what type of weapon may be involved at this point,” Lewis County Sheriff David Parrish said.

Investigators, family, and residents of the small northeast Missouri town are still looking for answers to what caused the tragic deaths. Neighbors are stunned that such a tragedy has hit so close to their own homes.

“I feel like I could almost get sick. I don’t even know…I just don’t even know what it would take for someone to have their mind set like that to do that,” neighbor Niki Bradley said.

Watch WGEM News at 5, 6 and 10 for more on this continuing story.