Bar fight leads to murder charge
<p dir="ltr"><span>A Monday night fight at Hide-Away Tavern, 105 N. 2nd St., in Percy has now become a murder case.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In a Thursday news release, Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker announced 38-year-old Beau A. Shawgo, of Percy, had been charged with first-degree murder (a Class X felony) as a result of the incident.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The news release stated Randolph County deputies responded to the business at 11:50 p.m. on Monday on the report of an altercation.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The victim, 55-year-old Jeffrey R. "J.R." Welty, also of Percy, was transported to Sparta Community Hospital and later airlifted to Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. </span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Earlier today, Welty died from injuries sustained in the altercation.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The charging document states Shawgo allegedly struck Welty in the face with his fist with such force "knowing such act created a strong probability of great bodily harm to Jeffrey R. Welty, thereby causing the death of Jeffrey D. Welty.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Shawgo made his first appearance today in Judge Gene Gross's courtroom at the Randolph County Courthouse, where he requested time to attempt to hire private counsel.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>A status hearing has been set for Monday at 1 p.m.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Shawgo's bond has been set at $250,000 (the State requested $1 million) and he remains incarcerated at Randolph County Jail. The news release also stated that no further details of the incident would be released at this time as "to not jeopardize the criminal prosecution of the Defendant."</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>A Class X felony carries a punishment range of 20 to 60 years in prison, a maximum fine of $25,000 and three years of supervised release. If found guilty, Shawgo must serve the entirety of the sentence. </span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>In a phone interview with the Herald Tribune, Walker stated that Shawgo would have been likely charged with aggravated battery (a Class 3 felony) had the victim not died.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>He was also asked Judge Gross's reasoning for the bond amount.</span>
<p dir="ltr"><span>"Judge Gross did state on the record the reasoning for the lower bond amount, the most significant reason being there was no weapon to have allegedly been used," Walker said.</span>