Sheriff: Woman killed in Willard by estranged husband

Greene County officials say the woman found dead in Willard on Monday was shot by her estranged husband, who later shot and killed himself.

And officials say they had little warning. Deputies had only been to their home one time 15 years ago.

This is at least the fifth time in the past year that an area woman has died in what authorities are calling murders tied to domestic violence.

The Greene County Sheriff's Office says Sandra Pendergrass, 48, was discovered in the 600 block of Pershing Street with severe head trauma and a visible gunshot wound.

While investigating her death, deputies learned that her husband, 48-year-old Todd Pendergrass, had shot himself in Dade County. They are from Bois D'Arc and were in Willard to visit family.

According to a news release, Todd Pendergrass allegedly confessed to family members that he had killed Sandra.

Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott said Todd Pendergrass called his daughter and later met his brother near Everton.

Todd Pendergrass was found on a road about 5 miles east of Everton. Arnott said Todd Pendergrass went to that location to meet his brother, who tried to wrest the gun away.

Arnott said Todd Pendergrass was able to gain control of the gun and shoot himself.

Arnott said deputies had little interaction with the Pendergrasses, only responding to their Bois D'Arc home one time — for a verbal domestic dispute in 1999. That interaction ended peacefully, Arnott said.

He said the couple has been separated since about June.

A news release from Greene County says deputies were sent to an area on West Farm Road 124 near Bois D'Arc earlier Monday evening for a report of a man pointing a gun at a woman. Officials say they believe that was Todd and Sandra Pendergrass.

Arnott said a witness later reported seeing Sandra Pendergrass shot in or near a car in Willard, where her body was found.

Todd Pendergrass appears to have only a minor criminal background, at least in Missouri, with only a misdemeanor charge of illegally taking or killing wildlife.

Stephanie Jenkins, who lives in the Willard neighborhood where the woman's body was found, said she heard the sirens Monday night and started checking police scanners and local media reports.

"We have a walking route in our neighborhood that goes right by that house," she said, calling the apparent shooting "truly heartbreaking."

"These people were probably part of our community and they were someone's son, daughter, brother, sister, friend," she said. "Last night I was scared, today I am sad."

In cases covered by the News-Leader, Sandra Pendergrass' slaying comes after at least four other similar area deaths. Stephanie Fajardo, 32, was shot last November. Jessica Conner, 26, was stabbed to death in April. Bailey Clemons, 29, was killed and then her body burned in June. Tara Mauldin, 30, was beaten in early September.

Springfield reported 2,660 domestic violence incidents in 2013, almost three times as many as Columbia, according to the Missouri Uniform Crime Reporting Program. More domestic violence was reported in Springfield last year than in St. Louis, about twice Springfield's size.

News-Leader Multimedia Editor Dean Curtis contributed to this story