By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A second-degree murder charge has been filed against a 24-year-old St. Joseph man in the shooting death of 37-year-old Santos Jackson.
Buchanan County Prosecutor Ron Holliday filed the charge against Tucker James Autenrieth.
St. Joseph police found Jackson dead of a single gunshot wound to the back of the head Wednesday. In the probable cause statement filed in the case, St. Joseph police say officers responded to a possible homicide call at 705 N. 9th Street. Officers discovered blood and cleaning agents in the residence and obtained a search warrant.
Officers found the body of Jackson inside. The owner identified Autenrieth as the person who killed Jackson on Monday.
Autenrieth told officers Jackson arrived at the residence armed with a .45 pistol and started a fight. When Jackson attempted to enter, Autenrieth said he struck him on the back of the neck with a machete, knocking him to the ground. Jackson crawled toward the firearm he had dropped. Autenrieth told officers he started kicking him in the head and body, then picked up the gun and fired a single shot to the back of the head. Autenrieth later wrapped the victim’s body in plastic and attempted to use bleach to clean up the scene, according to the probable cause statement.