Carthage man bound over for trial on first degree murder charge, seven other felonies

A Carthage man was bound over for trial on first degree murder charges following a preliminary hearing today in Jasper County Circuit Court.

Arraignment for Lane Stephens, 29, who is also charged with assault, four counts of armed criminal action and two counts of robbery, is scheduled for 9 a.m. November 30 in the trial division.

Stephens' alleged crimes were detailed in the August 2 Turner Report. Less than two years ago in a Branson hotel room, Lane Jordan Stephens, 29, beat up a woman so badly her left eye was nearly swollen shut and her left ear was split half and bleeding.

Two years later, Stephens, a Carthage resident stepped into the Quality Inn and tried to finish the job, according to local authorities who arrested him this morning in Lamar for allegedly shooting and wounding the woman, now his wife, Toni Stephens, 25, and killing Don Pierce, 43, Carthage.

Toni Stephens' wounds were not life threatening and she has been released from the hospital, according to a Carthage Police Department Facebook post.

At the time of the shooting, Stephens was less than 14 months into a five-year probation he received for that beating after receiving a suspended sentenced in a plea bargain deal with the Taney County Prosecuting Attorney's office.

The terms of that probation required Stephens to complete a batterer's program and "have no offensive contact with the victim."

Other conditions included completing 100 hours of community service during the first two years of the probation, successfully completing the Teen Challenge rehabilitation program and not to consume alcohol.

In exchange for the plea, the charge against Stephens was reduced from domestic assault in the first degree to domestic assault in the second degree.

The beating Stephens administered to his future wife August 25, 2018, at the Almost Home Lodge at 3306 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway was described in the probable cause statement written by Branson Police Department officer Tyler Mills and filed in Taney County Circuit Court.

T.S.C. had called 911 to report pain in her ear. I observed (her) ear was split in half and bleeding. (Her) left eye was nearly swollen shut and her left knee was scraped.

T.S.C. said her ex-boyfriend Lane Stephens became angry at her for drinking without him in their shared hotel room. (She) began arguing with Stephens and at some point Stephens began striking her in the head with a closed fist.

T.S.C. said she used her feet to try to push Stephens off of her. Stephens struck T.S.C. approximately 12 times before fleeing the scene.

Witness T. M. advised T.S.C. and Lane live in the same hotel room. T. M. said Lane nearly ran over a resident while leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed.

In May 2020, T. S. C. as she was called in the Taney County probable cause statement and Lane Stephens applied for a marriage license, according to Jasper County recorder's office records.

A Carthage Police Department news release Saturday said that after Stephens allegedly shot and wounded his wife and killed Pierce, he held a knife to a woman at 1937 S. Garrison and stole her car, a white 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe.

The car was found abandoned and Stephens was seen being dropped off by Lamar Lake.

He was taken into custody at about 8 a.m. today, but not before fighting with officers from the Lamar Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol, according to a Lamar Police Department news release.

"Officer John Simpson was cut twice with a knife. His injuries were minor and he is in good spirits."

The news release credited the Highway Patrol, the Barton County Sheriff's Office, Barton County Ambulance District and members of Lamar First Christian Church for helping apprehend Stephens.