Life, 30 years for Joplin man, girlfriend who killed her husband and dropped him in well

A Joplin man and his girlfriend, who teamed to murder her husband and drop his body in a well pleaded guilty to second degree murder charges and were sentenced today in Jasper County Circuit Court.

Terryray L. Riggle, 34, Joplin, was sentenced to life in prison on the murder charge and 20 years in prison on a statutory sodomy charge to run concurrently.

His girlfriend, Ginger L. Slater, 30, Joplin, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on the murder charge.

Both were initially charged with first degree murder.

The crime was detailed in this Joplin Police Department news release:

On September 6, 2014 Jonny R Slater who resided at 514 S. St. Louis Avenue in Joplin was reported missing by his mother.

At the time he was married to Ginger L. Slater. On June 3, 2015 the body of a man, believed to be Slater was recovered in a mine shaft near Carterville Missouri.

Today, October 16, 2015 investigators with the Joplin Police Department again interviewed Ginger Slater and Terryray L. Riggle, in regard to Slater’s death. As a result both are currently being held in jail pending charges with the Jasper County Prosecutor’s Officer for the charge of First Degree Murder.

The investigation discovered that on September 6, 2014 Ginger Slater and Riggle drove to 514 S. St. Louis so that

Riggle could talk to Jonny Slater about the relationship he was having with Ginger.

Ginger Slater entered the residence leaving a door open behind her, so Riggle could enter the residence. Ginger began talking with Jonny, in the bedroom when Riggle entered the room and began to choke Jonny with a dog collar.

After they determined Jonny was dead they drove him to the mine shaft in Carterville and buried his body. The investigation is continuing. Detectives are currently are working to conduct a search warrant at the residence.