WARSAW, Mo. -- A Benton County jury convicted a man from Bolivar last Thursday for a killing in 2007 that prosecutors say stemmed from a dispute over a drug debt. John Loomis, 26, is guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action.
Loomis was charged for the fatal stabbing of Christopher Cornell, 19, who investigators say went to Loomis' home to try to collect a debt. Cornell's body turned up a couple of days later in the bed of his pickup at an apartment complex in Bolivar. Loomis told police he acted in self-defense.
The case was moved here from Bolivar to try to ensure a fair trial. Jurors deliberated for two hours after hearing testimony and attorneys' statements on Monday afternoon, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning. Defense attorneys presented no witnesses after prosecutors presented their case.Circuit Judge John Sims set sentencing for Jan. 4. Loomis faces a life prison sentence without a chance for parole.
