Pastor Allegedly Killed Man He Suspected His Wife Was Having Affair With 

A Missouri pastor is accused of shooting another man to death in broad daylight after accusing him of having an affair with his wife.

Joe Newburn, 57, was shot multiple times in a roadway a little after noon on Saturday in Ozark — just south of Springfield — the Ozark Police Department announced in a press release. He was pronounced dead after he was brought to a nearby hospital. 

While on the scene, police arrested Matthew Dedmon, 47, of Springfield, who they believe pulled the trigger. According to a probable cause statement obtained by Ozarks First, Dedmon had driven to the scene in his truck to confront his wife and Newburn about an affair he suspected the two were having. He allegedly observed the pair eating lunch in a restaurant not far from the town courthouse, according to KY3.

After his wife got into a vehicle with Newburn, Dedmon allegedly got out of his truck — armed with a pistol — and confronted the man, who remained in his car. Then, police say, Dedmon shot Newburn three times in the chest before taking his gun back to his truck, where police eventually confiscated it.

Dedmon has been charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action and is being held without bond. 

Dedmon told investigators that he is a pastor at Heritage Baptist Church in Rogersville, WFAB reports. The independent Baptist church is currently listed as permanently closed on Google and its Facebook page has been removed, but an archived version of the latter suggests it was streaming services as recently as May 25.

It’s not clear if Dedmon has an attorney.

“What a big loss,” one person wrote in the comment section of  the Ozark Police Department’s Facebook page as they announced the shooting. “Joe was a good friend to me the last 7 years. No one deserves to be shot down in broad daylight. I can't wrap my head around this.”