Charles Tinker killed Jon Lovelace, deputies say
Charles Tinker (Taney County mugshot)
Charles Tinker was fed up with his roommate not paying his share of the rent at their Missouri home, authorities allege. So the octogenarian drank four shots of whiskey and allegedly shot him. He later reportedly told authorities, “He pushed my buttons.”
Tinker is charged with second-degree murder in the killing of 52-year-old Jon Lovelace at her home in Bradleyville, an unincorporated community in southern Missouri.
A Affidavit of Probable Cause The document obtained by Law&Crime described the case.
Shortly after 7 p.m. on November 2nd, the Taney County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting that a man had been shot. Once there, officers discovered that Lovelace was suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead before he could be flown by helicopter to a trauma center. Tinker was quickly identified as the shooter and arrested when investigators seized a 9mm Ruger handgun.
Tinker shot Lovelace in the stomach with the pistol during an argument, the affidavit said, citing a witness.
Tinker was taken to a hospital to receive medical clearance for confinement due to his “admitted and suspected alcohol consumption” before being released into the custody of the Taney County Jail, the affidavit said.
A search of the home revealed a handgun magazine containing 9mm ammunition and 9mm shell casings, the document said.
Tinker allegedly confirmed that he shot Lovelace with a 9mm Ruger handgun and said the victim told him he was going to kill him, so he went to his bedroom and grabbed a gun from the bedroom , authorities said in the affidavit.
Tinker said he moved the firearm from the bedroom to the front door area of the residence, fired two shots behind a vehicle to get another person to leave, and fired two more shots at Lovelace.
“Tinker stated he attempted to shoot the victim in the leg and was unsure where he shot the victim,” the affidavit states.
After shooting him, he went into the house and did not render aid, call 911, or go outside to check on Lovelace, the document said.
According to the affidavit, Tinker told investigators that Lovelace was not helping with rent or additional living expenses.
He also allegedly said he “pushed my buttons” and “that was all he wanted to take,” the affidavit states.
Tinker said the situation escalated over time, that Lovelace had no weapons and that the two were not arguing when he shot him.
Tinker said he shot the victim out of a combination of “fear of safety and anger” and drank four shots of whiskey before the shooting.
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