The Missouri Supreme Court has assigned a Moniteau County judge to hear the cases of two people charged for their alleged role in a May 2017 homicide in Jefferson City.
The high court announced Judge Aaron Martin will preside over the cases of Robert Farrow, 27, and Devon Skinner, 25, after the judges in the Cole County Circuit recused themselves from the cases. No dates were announced for when the cases would be in court.
Farrow and Skinner were taken into custody in September 2020, according to information from the Jefferson City Police Department. The U.S. Marshal Service Fugitive Unit worked with JCPD to locate them.
Farrow was arrested in Milwaukee, and Skinner was arrested in St. Louis. Skinner is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and armed criminal action. Farrow is charged with second-degree murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The two men are believed to have been involved in an altercation in the 700 block of Monroe Street where TaVeeon Fowler, 23, was shot. Fowler eventually died from his injuries.
In March, a Cole County jury found another suspect in this case, Dana Day Jr., 31, of Jefferson City, guilty of first-degree assault and second-degree assault. They found him not guilty of second-degree murder. He was sentenced in June to 25 years in prison.
Prosecutors said Nyarrius Day, who is Dana Day's sister and Fowler's ex-girlfriend, was driving a car with Fowler in the passenger seat and two children in the back seat on the night of the shooting. Nyarrius and Fowler were exchanging money he owed her, and Dana Day opened the driver's door and pulled Fowler across Nyarrius Day's lap. There was a struggle and fight, and ultimately Fowler was pulled out of the car and ended up on the pavement.
Prosecutors said Day and others then assaulted Fowler and shots were fired, hitting Fowler as he was running away.