Hannibal murder inquiry continues
By BRENT ENGEL
Hannibal Courier-Post
Posted Apr 16, 2010 @ 04:32 PM
Hannibal, MO
A Hannibal woman who apparently was murdered told friends shortly before her death that she was looking forward to getting married this weekend.
Thirty-two-year-old Sandra Michelle Fugate was found by her mother in the basement of the Fugate home at 3611 Iowa Ave. at 12:47 p.m. Thursday.
Authorities said Fugates fiancé, 40-year-old Calvin Duane Pettey, also lived at the home along with Fugates eight-year-old daughter.
An autopsy was done Friday in Columbia, but results were not available. Police have said the incident is being investigated as a homicide, but have not discussed motive or other details. A spokesman did not return telephone calls Friday.
Marion County Coroner Peggy Porter, who pronounced Fugate dead at 2:40 p.m. Thursday, told the Courier-Post that the victim apparently died of a gunshot, but declined to say where on the body the wound was found. Porter was unavailable for comment Friday afternoon.
Fugate and Pettey got a license to wed April 9 and were to be married Saturday at First Assembly of God Church in Hannibal.
Have a busy week this week, but it¹s all good, Fugate wrote on the Facebook Website at 8:08 a.m. Monday. Can¹t wait to do the chicken dance and cupid shuffle on saturday night. lol.
At 3:24 p.m. Wednesday, Fugate wrote that there had been a hiccup because one of the tuxedos had not arrived with a pair of shoes. Fugate wrote that it should be here by 10 a.m. tomorrow. I hope it does cuz not sure what I will do if it doesnt.
Her last Facebook entry came at 8:16 a.m. the day she died, but appeared to be nothing more than a standard daily note.
Several neighbors, all of whom asked not to be identified, remembered Fugate as a personable woman who loved daughter.
Its a shame, said one neighbor, who broke into tears. She was a good person. You just never expect this to happen in your neighborhood.
The Rev. James Bridges, who was to officiate at Saturdays wedding, said the couple was excited about the nuptials.
She was a good-spirited woman, said Bridges, who agreed to handle the duties after being recommended by friends of Fugates who are cousins of the pastor. She was very lively and very fun.
Friends expressed their grief on Facebook.
Words cant describe how sad I am that my friend was taken so young, wrote one.
You will be missed very much but never forgotten, wrote another.
My thoughts and prayers are with your family, added a third. You will be greatly missed.
The James O¹Donnell Funeral Home in Hannibal was handling arrangements.
The murder was the first homicide in Hannibal this year.
Forty-four-year-old Allen D. Layfield was arrested for second-degree murder in the Jan. 16 death of his estranged girlfriend, 42-year-old Karen S. Sherman. However, the charges later were dropped after an autopsy showed Sherman died of coronary artery disease and a multiple drug overdose.
The last murders in Hannibal were the killings of 27-year-old Amanda R. Thomas and 25-year-old C. Patrick Epley, who were stabbed to death on Feb. 28, 2009, at Thomas apartment.
A suspect, 33-year-old illegal immigrant Manuel G. Cazares, who fathered a child with Thomas, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and one count of armed criminal action. His trial is set for June 21.