Mayor of Southeast Missouri town dies following shooting

LILBOURN, Mo. (AP) -- An autopsy is planned on a rural Southeast Missouri mayor who died two days after being shot in the head by a councilman who later killed himself.

New Madrid County Sheriff Terry Stevens tells KFVS-TV of Cape Girardeau that 56-year-old Lilbourn Mayor Leonard Thomas died Tuesday after being taken off life support at a Memphis hospital.

An autopsy was planned for Wednesday by the county's coroner.

Investigators say witnesses told them that 56-year-old Lonnie Moore and Thomas had been arguing Sunday when it escalated. On Sunday night, authorities found Moore dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and Thomas with a gunshot wound to the head.

Stevens says Moore shot Thomas before killing himself.

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Information from: KFVS-TV, http://www.kfvs12.com