Murder charge refiled against teenager accused in 2023 Audrain County homicide
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A teenager from Paris, Missouri, had his Audrain County homicide case refiled on Tuesday.
Charles Armour, born in 2006, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree robbery in the Nov. 30, 2023, death of Matthew Stewart. Stewart, 23, was found dead with gunshot wounds on County Road 556 near Vandalia.
A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday at the Audrain County Courthouse.
Audrain County Prosecutor Jacob Shellaberger told ABC 17 News the case was refiled because the appeals court found it did not have a record of Armour’s original adult certification hearing. The hearing was not recorded properly, Shellaberger said. He was recertified as an adult on Monday. He was originally charged when he was 17 years old.
Another man in the case, Christopher Brickey, of Laddonia, is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He has a case review scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29.
A probable cause statement says deputies found Stewart bleeding in a ditch from his head and torso. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Law enforcement also found shell casings at the scene, the statement says.
Stewart allegedly planned on selling a gun to Brickey and Armour and the three left a home to “range test” it, the statement says. Stewart’s roommate called him after some time and Stewart allegedly stated he was shot by the defendants, the statement says.
The statement says Brickey told deputies that Armour planned on killing Stewart, but planned on Brickey shooting first. Brickey allegedly admitted to shooting Stewart with Stewart’s gun.