A Jefferson City man and woman who were scheduled to stand trial this week in connection with the Feb. 4, 2013, deaths of Carol and Freddie Wilson of Versailles have pleaded guilty to lesser charges.
Garland Mitchell, 47, pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Court records show Garland entered an Alford plea which means he admitted that the evidence the prosecution had would likely persuade a judge or jury to find him guilty, but he did not admit to the criminal act against him and asserted his innocence.
Mandy Mitchell, 30, pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The two had each originally been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the killings, which occurred south of Versailles.
The case was moved a change of venue from Morgan County to Camden County.
Derrell Spellmeyer, 45, Eldon, was sentenced to life in prison in June after pleading guilty to two counts each of second-degree murder in this case. According to court records, he was sentenced to 999 years on the second second-degree murder charge and 50 years on each of the armed criminal action charges. Each sentence is to be served consecutively.
On Aug. 4, Spellmeyer filed a motion to set aside convictions of a 2011 DWI case and the double homicide case of the Wilsons, and requested a public defender, according to court records. On Sept. 5, he then filed to defend himself on those claims.
According to the probable cause statement filed by Morgan County Detective Charles Black, the Morgan County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call about 11:05 a.m. Feb. 4, 2013, from a female caller at 12931 Dorsey Lane, south of Versailles near Route TT. The caller said she had been shot in the head.
While traveling south down Missouri 5, Black stated he observed a white van traveling north. The van swerved across the road, hitting Detective Tony Wheatley's vehicle. The van then traveled to the side of the road, Black said in the statement.
Black and the deputies then took Spellmeyer and Garland and Mandy Mitchell into custody at the accident scene, advising them of their Miranda rights. Black said Wheatley recovered a small .32-caliber handgun, a bottle of hydrocodone belonging to Carol Wilson and a .32-caliber casing in Spellmeyer's front pocket. Black stated Spellmeyer had blood on his hands and clothing.
Deputies then arrived at 12391 Dorsey Lane and found the Wilsons dead with apparent gunshot and stabbing wounds.
The same day, Black said he spoke with Spellmeyer at the Morgan County Sheriff's Office and Spellmeyer admitted to shooting the gun, stating, "They made me do it." Spellmeyer later admitted to being in the residence located at the Dorsey Lane address and inflicting knife wounds on Freddie Wilson, Black said.
Investigators later spoke with Mandy and Garland Mitchell. The Mitchells said they drove Spellmeyer to the residence to obtain drugs and that Spellmeyer went into the residence. Black said Spellmeyer returned to the vehicle with a gun in his hand, also having blood on his hands and clothing. The Mitchells then said they fled the scene.