Documents show Sancegrow had history of violence

POTOSI – The man charged with murder in the shooting of Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Parsons made his first court appearance in that case 8:45 a.m. Monday at the Washington County Courthouse before Associate Circuit Judge Troy Hyde.

Gary W. Sancegrow, 30, of Mineral Point, faces charges of first degree murder, armed criminal action and a probation violation on a 2006 charge of unlawful use of a weapon.

During the hearing he was advised of the charges and his rights. His application for a public defender was approved in court. He is being held in the Ste. Genevieve County Jail without the possibility of bond. A preliminary hearing has not been set.

According to court records the suspect has been serving a sentence of five years supervised probation since April 17, 2007.

Sancegrow, who has also been named Sancegraw in court documents, was charged June 20, 2006 for unlawful use of a weapon and third degree assault according to the original warrant. According to that document, Sancegrow placed a person in apprehension of immediate physical danger by exhibiting a hunting knife in an angry or threatening manner.

While the assault charge was dismissed, he entered an Alford plea to unlawful use of a weapon, a class D felony. He was placed on five years supervised probation to begin April 16, 2007.

That probation was suspended July 2007 according to court records. The reasons for the suspension and the outcome have been redacted from the public record, but he was reinstated Sept. 19, 2008 according to a Missouri Department of Corrections (DOC) Probation and Parole amended order of probation.

Terms of that probation included that he was not to possess any firearm or dangerous weapons. He was also required to participate in the electronic monitoring program and not violate the law.

 According to a (DOC) Probation and Parole citation, Sancegrow violated his probation March 25, 2009 when he tested positive for THC, a compound found in marijuana. He was ordered to an outpatient treatment program.

Then on April 30, 2009, just over a month later, according to a DOC field violation report he was arrested by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of first degree assault.

According to that report, he was a suspect in a stabbing that occurred in Springtown Road involving a 52 year old victim. The victim sustained a six inch laceration to his abdomen which resulted in him being air lifted to St. John’s Hospital.

As stated in the report, in response to the violation Sancegrow stated, “I didn’t do it.”

The recommendation of his probation officer was for “delayed action” based on his June 10, 2009 court date. The charges were dismissed on Jan. 11, 2010 according to a Probation and Parole Case Summary Report Transition Accountability Plan.

According to that report he was receiving medications and services from Barnes Jewish Healthcare (BJC), he was receiving $650 a month in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and his intervention fees had been kept current while he was incarcerated.

Sancegrow was reinstated and given a directive to participate in Electronic Monitoring.

On May 4, 2010 Sancegrow was arrested by the Washington County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of third degree assault according to a field violation report.

As stated in that report, Sancegrow stated, “I didn’t assault the old boy. I didn’t lay a hand on him.”

Another special condition of that report stated that when Sancegrow was placed on probation in 2007 he was to pay his court cost debt in full within three years from sentencing. As of May 11, 2010 Sancegrow has not made any payments toward this debt.

 His response to the violation of non-payment according to the report was “I’ll try to get some money for it. I will put $100 on it next month.”

The probation and parole officer also noted that Sancegrow has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, which negatively affects his memory. The report also stated he often relied on his grandmother to pay his bills and monitor his medications, and that Sancegrow maintained that he didn’t know he owed money to the court.

The recommendation at that time was for delayed action. The field violation report also noted that at the time of assessment an incident report from the documented arrest had not been obtained. The probation and parole officer recommended he continue with electronic monitoring and to make payments each month until his balance was resolved.

According to court documents, after reviewing the violation report, the suspect’s probation was suspended. A warrant was issued May 24, 2010 in the amount of $25,000 cash only. A hearing was scheduled for July 19, 2010. Neither the defendant nor an attorney appeared.

That warrant was served December 15, 2012 according to the warrant.

Pat Pratt is a reporter for the Daily Journal and can be reached at 573-431-2010 ext. 172 or ppratt@dailyjournalonline.com