NEWS

Police sort through evidence after argument turns deadly in Springfield

Harrison Keegan
HKEEGAN@NEWS-LEADER.COM

Police say a man was shot to death outside of a home in west central Springfield on Monday morning only minutes after officers left the scene.

Springfield Police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead in the 900 block of West State Street on Monday,  Nov. 2, 2015. One man is in custody in relation to the shooting.

Officers were still close enough to hear the gunshots, but police say a man was dead by the time they got back to the home at 920 W. State St. at about 9 a.m.

Police identified the victim as Jonathan L. McCrary, 38, of Florida. The armed suspect who police arrested at the scene was identified as Preston B. Watts, 30, of Springfield.

Criminal charges had not been filed as of Monday night.

Police said in a news release they were first called out to the residence on State Street at about 8:30 a.m. for reports of a disturbance.

Springfield firefighters battle a house fire at the corner of Jean Street and Kellett Avenue on Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 .Springfield Police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead in the 900 block of West State Street on Monday,  Nov. 2, 2015. One man is in custody in relation to the shooting.

Officers arrived and interviewed a couple of people at the residence. They learned, however, that several people involved had already left the scene, according to the release.

Officers then went out to look for the other people involved. Not long after the officers left, they heard "multiple gunshots" coming from the house on State Street, the release says.

When police got back to the home, they found Watts with a gun and McCrary apparently shot to death in the backyard, according to the release.

Preston Watts

Watts was arrested at the scene, and Lt. Scott Kamykowski said there were also some witnesses who were transported to police headquarters to be interviewed.

Neighbor Paul Smart said he was walking down State Street at about 9 a.m. when he saw a man outside of a house arguing on the phone.

Smart said he crossed the street and then heard "six to eight" gunshots.

Kamykowski said he did not know how many times McCrary had been shot.

Katherine Crossman lives around the block from the house on State Street. She said she felt a little uneasy knowing someone had been killed so close to where her young children play.

“It’s off-putting and scary,” Crossman said. “I let my kids go down the street to play all the time.”

Other neighbors reported hearing arguing followed by gunshots at about 9 a.m.

By 11 a.m., police had tape up around the house, and State Street was blocked in both directions.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact the police department at 864-1810 or make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 869-8477.

Springfield police respond to a report of gunshots.