1 of 6 admits guilt in shooting of Mexican man over meth debt

A Nixa teenager admitted Monday to shooting and killing a Mexican man in rural Webster County in connection with a local woman's drug debt. 

Nathaniel Lee, 19, admitted to using a firearm to commit a drug trafficking crime resulting in murder and to conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine, according to federal court documents. 

The maximum penalties in the charges against Lee include life in prison. 

As part of the plea agreement, though, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Missouri agreed to ask the court to lower Lee's federal offense level. Depending on his criminal history, this move could allow Lee to avoid life in prison.

Federal authorities also agreed "not to bring any additional charges against (Lee) for any federal criminal offenses" related to his known actions. 

Lee was one of five people indicted by a federal grand jury in July in connection with the April 2016 killing of Oscar Martinez-Gaxiola, 24. He was named by investigators as part of a group who planned to sell meth in Greene, Christian, Webster and Dallas counties. 

According to previous News-Leader reporting, Brooke Beckley of Nixa and Anthony Donovan of Springfield met in a local hotel to discuss Beckley's alleged debt of $40,000 to a New Mexico drug organization operating in Springfield. 

Beckley allegedly bought herself more time by arranging with Yovanny Aroldo Mendivil-Balderrama of Mexico to kill Martinez-Gaxiola.

Lee and Joshua Applegate, who faces charges in state court because he was 17 at the time, allegedly agreed to help Donovan and Beckley kill Martinez-Gaxiola. 

Jourdan McGinnis of Nixa also faces charges of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams of meth.

The case was scheduled to go to trial on July 17, but there has been a flurry of recent activity in the court docket.

Online records indicate Beckley and McGinnis have change-of-plea hearings scheduled for Tuesday, and Donovan has one scheduled for July 5.

Meanwhile in state court, Applegate’s next pre-trial appearance is scheduled for July 11.

News-Leader reporter Harrison Keegan contributed to this article.