WELLSTON, Mo. — Police used a stun gun to arrest a man they said shot someone inside a convenience store in Wellston, and police say he has a long criminal record.
Joe Lea, 37, was charged with assault, resisting arrest and multiple other charges after police said he shot a woman inside the Wellston Food Market on Page Avenue early Tuesday morning.
Police said they were called to the store for a report of a stabbing at the store, but when they arrived, they found that the 46-year-old woman had been shot. Responding officers spotted Lea running from the scene and tossing an unknown object. The officer chased after him, used a stun gun and took him into custody.
While investigating, police viewed security video that showed Lea shooting the victim and dragging her across the floor of the store by her hair.
The North County Police Cooperative said after taking Lea into custody, officers discovered he was wanted in connection with a homicide in St. Louis, and that the United States Marshal Service was looking for him for a gun-related charge. Lea was on supervised release at the time of the shooting Tuesday morning.
Lea was charged with first-degree assault, third-degree assault, resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm, tampering with physical evidence and armed criminal action. He is being held on $250,000 bond.
According to online court documents, Lea is also facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree assault in connection with a deadly crash at the intersection of North Broadway and Humboldt on Sept. 22, 2023.
