Doniphan, Mo., man to face death penalty in elderly couples' deaths

DONIPHAN, Mo. -- A 20-year-old Doniphan man is now facing the death penalty for his alleged role in the 2010 deaths of two elderly couples whose bodies were found in their burned homes.

Keith A. Boyles, accompanied by his attorney, Thomas Marshall with the Capital Public Defender's Office in Columbia, Mo., learned of the state's intentions during a motion hearing Monday before Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Pritchett. The state was represented by assistant attorney general Kevin Zoellner.

Boyles is charged with four counts each of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.

He is accused of killing Gladys Irene Piatt, 80, and Loyd Eugene Piatt, 77, Edgar Atkinson, 81, and Bonnie Chase, 69.

Zoellner's filing reportedly puts the defense on notice of what aggravating circumstances the state intends to rely on at trial.

The aggravating circumstances Zoellner cited for murder charges are:

* The murder in the first-degree offense was committed while Boyles was "engaged in the commission of another unlawful homicide"

* Boyles "committed the offense of murder in the first degree as an agent of another person."

* The murder in the first degree was "outrageously or wantonly vile, horrible or inhuman in that it involved torture or depravity of mind."

* The murder in the first degree was committed while Boyles "was engaged in the perpetration or was aiding or encouraging another person to perpetrate or attempt to perpetrate a felony of any degree of burglary."

The court also took up a defense application for change of venue.

The defense and state agreed the jury will be selected from Ste. Genevieve County, with venue transferred to Butler County, according to online court records.

Pritchett ordered the venue change and set a motion hearing in Butler County for 9 a.m. Dec. 18.

Boyles, along with Melissa M. Youngblood, 35, and her 19-year-old daughter, Chantale Youngblood, are accused of killing the Piatts, who were found dead inside their burned rural Doniphan home June 23, 2010.

Gladys Piatt and Loyd Piatt were the aunt and uncle of Melissa Youngblood's husband, David.

While authorities initially thought the couple had died of smoke inhalation, they became suspicious when David Youngblood was among those arrested in connection with the July 10, 2010, deaths of Atkinson and Chase.

The bodies of Atkinson and Chase were found in their burning Current View, Mo., home. An autopsy determined Atkinson died of gunshot wounds to the head and upper torso. A cause of death for Chase was not immediately known.

A multiagency investigation led to the arrest and questioning of Boyles and the Youngbloods on July 16, 2010, after information was obtained about their alleged involvement in Atkinson and Chase's deaths.

The Youngbloods and Boyles subsequently were charged in connection with the couple's deaths, and the investigation into the Piatts' deaths was re-opened.

As part of that investigation, the Piatts' bodies were exhumed, so autopsies could be performed to determine how they died. Both reportedly had been shot in the chest.

Chantale Youngblood, who is charged with four Class A felonies of first-degree murder and four unclassified felonies of ACA, has had her case moved to Franklin County. Her trial is set for July 29 to Aug. 2.

Her mother is to stand trial Jan. 28 through Feb. 1 in Shannon County on two Class A felonies of first-degree murder, the Class B felonies of first-degree burglary and first-degree arson and the unclassified felony of ACA. She is charged in connection with the deaths of Atkinson and Chase.

In June, David Youngblood, 48, pleaded guilty as charged to four Class A felonies of first-degree murder and four unclassified felonies of armed criminal action.

After accepting Youngblood's plea, Pritchett sentenced him to life imprisonment on each charge, and he then followed the state's recommendation in ordering the sentences to run consecutively.