Suspect enters innocent plea to murder charge

The accused killer of a 17-year-old boy pleaded innocent Monday to charges in the slaying.

During a brief court appearance before Circuit Judge William Syler, Bernard Richards entered his plea to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with a witness and leaving the scene of a shooting.

Richards, 19, of an unknown address, is accused of killing Jacob Bowers behind Du-Shell's Furniture, 2103 William St. in Cape Girardeau, on the evening of Jan. 25.

Police said Bowers was attempting to rob a drug dealer who was an acquaintance of Richards.

Bowers was shot in the back, and the bullet pierced his heart, Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle said.

In an unrelated case, Richards has also pleaded innocent to possession of controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. Cape Girardeau police found 17 grams of cocaine and three grams of marijuana in Richards' car during a traffic stop 20 days before the fatal shooting.

On the drug case Monday, Richards' attorney, Derrick Williams, withdrew a motion for a change of venue. The motion had previously been filed when Richards was represented by the public defender's office.

Richards is scheduled to appear in court for both cases April 17.