Man charged in accidental shooting death in Desloge Sunday

Kyle Christopher Walters, 25, of Dittmer in Jefferson County, has been charged in St. Francois County with one count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter in connection with the alleged accidental shooting death of 22-year-old Scott Jones of the Fenton area.

According to a probable cause statement from the Desloge Police Department, police were called to the Jack in the Box in Desloge on Sunday morning. When they arrived, they reportedly found Jones suffering from a puncture wound to his back.

St. Francois County Coroner Jason Coplin said the injured man was taken to Parkland Health Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:58 a.m. Sunday.

The coroner said the man had sustained a single gunshot wound to the back. He said he believed Walters had been in the back seat of the car when the gun accidentally discharged, firing through the driver’s seat in front of him and hitting Jones. Coplin said members of Jones’ family had been notified of his passing.

The report states a 9 mm handgun and a spent casing were located at the scene, along with some cartridges.

Authorities spoke with two eyewitnesses who revealed they were with both the injured man and Walters, according to the report. The witnesses reportedly told investigators that when they were in the restaurant’s drive-thru line waiting for their food, Walters discharged the gun, and the round hit the other man.

After being read his Miranda rights, the report states Walters told officers he possessed the 9 mm firearm, which discharged, striking the man.

Walters was booked at the St. Francois County Detention Center, and a $50,000 bond has been set in the case. If released on bail, Walters is ordered to comply with GPS and pre-trial monitoring.

A search of the man’s criminal history showed one misdemeanor conviction from 2021 for careless and imprudent driving involving an accident in Jefferson County.