Wednesday, March 01, 2017

St. Louis man accused of shooting Jasper County deputy is convicted heroin dealer with lengthy rap sheet

The St. Louis man taken into custody today following the shooting of Jasper County Deputy Nolan Murray has a long string of felonies dating back a quarter of a century, including a federal conviction for dealing heroin.

E. F. Fitchpatrick, who was arrested after a two-hour standoff at the Econo Lodge on Range Line in Joplin, appears to be only a few months removed from his last stay in a federal penitentiary.

Court records show Fitchpatrick was sentenced to 37 months on prison in 2012. He was released early and placed on probation for one year, but was not able to make it stick.

On two different occasions, the latest on July 6, 2016, Fitchpatrick's probation was revoked and he was returned to prison. Each time he was sentenced to six months. After the second stay, he was free and clear.

A motion for a detention hearing filed November 18, 2010, in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri offers a breakdown of Fitchpatrick's felony convictions:

The defendant has prior felony convictions for Tampering with Service Utility, Burglary, and Possession of an Illegal Weapon in March 1991, Possession of an Illegal Weapon in March 1995, three counts of Forgery in November 1998, and two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance in May 2005. The defendant is presently incarcerated in the Missouri Department of Corrections as a result of a parole violation predicated on this pending case, and is therefore not eligible for pre-trial release.

Online court documents also show Fitchpatrick being charged numerous times with domestic assault and on two occasions, in 2000 and 2005 had protection orders entered against him.

Before the standoff at the Econo Lodge, Fitchpatrick's most recent brush with the law occurred just 12 days ago when the Fair Grove Police Department pulled him over for speeding and for operating a vehicle without a valid license.

Today's activities were detailed in a news release issued this evening by the Joplin Police Department:

On March 1st, 2017 at 3:48p.m. officers with the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team were attempting to serve a search warrant at the Econo Lodge Hotel, 3510 South Range Line Road. As officers attempted to make entry into the second floor room a gun shot (s) was fired at the officers through a window striking Jasper County Deputy Nolan Murray. Deputy Murray, who was wearing a bullet resistant vest suffered injury from the gun shot and was transported by EMS to Freeman Hospital. Officers on scene requested assistance through Joplin Dispatch.

Officers with the Joplin Police Department arrived and a SWAT operation was activated. After failed attempts to establish contact with the suspect in the room, officers deployed chemical munitions into the room. EF Fitchpatrick Jr (43) of St. Louis, exited the room and was taken into custody and transported to Mercy Hospital by EMS.

Deputy Murray remains at the hospital in stable condition.

Fitchpatrick, is currently still in the hospital for treatment and will remain in police custody.

Assistance was provided by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Duquesne Police Department, Webb City Police Department, Carthage Police Department, METS, Newton County EMS, Joplin Fire, and MoDOT.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time to build a wall on I-44!

Anonymous said...

Randy, a very detailed report. Thanks!

Harvey Hutchinson said...

All of the drug experts in law enforcement and otherwise will tell you that 95% of the illegal drugs in this country come right over the pourus border. The same one that several years ago allowed 20,000 children daily to pour in.
The sooner President Trump can build the wall and secure the Mexican border the better for every one, including the Mexicans on the southern side,
Harvey Hutchinson 303-522-6622 voice&text 24/7