Murder charge expected in Springfield fatal shooting

A Springfield woman is expected to be charged with murder in connection to a fatal shooting in the city.

Ulonda Degahson, 39, was arrested following a shooting at the 100 block of Bassett Drive on Wednesday.

Dewand Moore was shot multiple times and later died from his injuries at the hospital, according to Springfield Police.

Clark County Prosecutor Dan Driscoll said his office approved the murder charge Thursday morning. He anticipates the case will be presented to a grand jury.

“She’s not going to be released today,” Driscoll said of Degahson who appeared in Clark County Municipal Court on an unrelated case.

The Clark County Municipal Court did not have the charges filed with their office Thursday afternoon.

Springfield Police Lt. Lou Turner told the Springfield News-Sun that police began their investigation after getting a call about the shooting at around 6 a.m. Wednesday

He said through the investigation, police determined Degahson and Moore were acquaintances. It appears before shots were fired, however, they got into an argument outside.

Turner said the verbal spat turned into a physical altercation. It’s not clear what the argument between the two was about.

Degahson then went inside the house to grab a gun and shot Moore multiple times, police said. A CareFlight helicopter was requested for him, but he later died at Springfield Regional Medical Center.

Lt. Turner said several shell casings were found in the neighborhood. A Cadillac that police say Moore was driving was towed away to search for evidence.

The 9 mm that was allegedly used in the shooting was recovered by police. The shooting is still under investigation.

Moore’s death marks the second fatal shooting in Springfield this year and the third homicide in Clark County.

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Degahson did appear in court on Thursday morning on a probation violation. Clark County Municipal Judge Thomas Trempe said it’s due to that firearm.

“(They are) alleging that you violated your probation by being in possession of a firearm outside your home on Aug. 21 of 2019,” Trempe said. “Public defender is your attorney.”

Degahson originally pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted assault in June. In that case, she was accused in March of kicking a victim in the head and chest while the victim was laying on the ground.

Authorities said the incident took place at Rock of Hope Teen Center on Linden Avenue and the victim was a juvenile. Degahson said at the time, according to an affidavit, that she believed her daughter was getting jumped and “that she was merely attempting to get other juveniles off of her. She denied kicking or assaulting anyone.”

She was arrested and later pleaded guilty to attempted assault.

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