East Prairie man charged with murder

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- An East Prairie, Mo., man is facing murder charges for the death of his girlfriend.

Robert Michael Christian, 26, is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault and the kidnapping of his girlfriend, 28-year-old Laura Faison of East Prairie, according to Mississippi County Sheriff Keith Moore.

Christian was arrested Nov. 13 and charged with the assault of two individuals, Faison and another man. Faison died in the hospital Thursday of injuries sustained in that assault.

Bond for Christian, who is being held at the Mississippi County Detention Center, is set at $200,000 for the initial assault charge.

With the additional charges, Mississippi County Prosecuting Attorney Darren Cann is requesting no bond.

"This is a tragedy that occurred in our county," Moore said. "Domestic violence is a very real crime, and it does not discriminate. It happens in all cultures, in all financial brackets. It is wrong. It is a crime, and my department and I do not take domestic violence lightly."

Moore said it's important to report domestic assaults.

"The victims usually are embarrassed, even ashamed, and they generally are trying to protect their children and loved ones from knowing the brutal circumstances in which they are living," he said. "It isn't easy to report someone that you love, even when that someone is hurting you."

Moore said Mississippi County has facilities such as the Susanna Wesley Family Learning Center for victims of domestic violence.

"The services they offer there are tremendous, and I strongly urge anyone who is suffering from domestic violence to contact law enforcement and the Susanna Wesley center," he said. "Not all areas are as fortunate to have such a facility and staff to assist those who are truly in domestic violence situations."

Moore investigated the case along with his deputies David Watkins, who was the responding officer, and Janice McCameron and officers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Moore said three young children have now been left without their mother.

"So often the children in the situation are the ones who suffer the most. It is sad but we can't stop what we don't know is happening," he said. "The children of Laura Faison will only have the few memories of their mother -- they are the victims here, they lost their mother."