5 years, 11 months ago by Scott Hardy
Marion County Sheriff Jimmy Shinn says Brokes found hanging in cell Thursday night
A Hannibal man, charged with Capital Murder in a 2016 shooting spree across two Missouri counties, is dead.
The Marion County Sheriff's Office had more information Friday about the suicide Thursday night of Timothy Brokes.
( Sheriff Jimmy Shinn :10 )
That's Sheriff Jimmy Shinn, reading from a statement, who said that Brokes was found at 8:46 PM Thursday night. Shinn says that Brokes had last been checked 45 minutes before he was found. He was later pronounced dead by Marion County Coroner Richard Jones. Shinn said that a suicide note was found in Brokes' cell, but wouldn't say what that note said. He added that the Missouri State Highway Patrol has been asked to investigate, and that an autopsy will be conducted Monday morning. Brokes was facing charges of 1st Degree Murder in Marion County in the January 2016 shooting death of Brittany Gauch, and Armed Criminal Action charges in the shooting of her husband Aaron on a Marion County road. If convicted in Marion County, Brokes could have gotten the death penalty. He was also due to go on trial later this year in Monroe County, in the shooting of Monroe City police officer Travis Pugh.
Brokes was just in court Thursday afternoon, where his defense had won a victory in his case. Judge Rachel Bringer Shepherd had granted a defense motion to disqualify both the Marion and Monroe County Prosecutor's Offices from the cases as well as Assistant Attorney General Kevin Zoellner, and an investigator and secretary from the AG's office. The Attorney General's office was also going to have to keep separate evidence that had been ordered redacted from the case.
