Armantrout granted venue change

A local woman who was charged with the December murder of her husband, Aaron Armantrout, has been successful in her request for a change of venue.

Susan J. Armantrout, 41, of Ste. Genevieve County, is charged with murder in the first degree, armed criminal action, and abandonment of a corpse in connection with the Dec. 17 murder of her husband.

Two other individuals, Angel Senter, 42, and Anthony Skaggs, 20, were each charged with abandonment of a corpse and tampering with a felony prosecution in connection with the murder.

Armantrout recently appeared before Associate Circuit Judge Jerel Poor II and entered a not guilty plea. At the same time, her attorney, Ayla Chadbourne, requested a change of venue.

A change of venue is a request to move a trial to a new location based on belief that the defendant can not receive a fair trial in the county where the crime occurred.

The case of Armantrout, which would have normally been set for trial in Ste. Genevieve County, will now be tried in Madison County. No further proceeding will be held in Ste. Genevieve County.

Ste. Genevieve County Prosecutor Wayne Williams said in a county of less than 75,000 population, a defendant has an automatic right to request a change of venue in a criminal case of such a serious nature.

Susan Armantrout

Matt McFarland is a reporter for the Daily Journal. He can be reached at 573-518-3616, or at mmcfarland@dailyjournalonline.com.