Suspected murderer arrested

A suspect in a 2020 murder remains in custody after a warrant arrest on June 1. Levi D. Gunter, 41, of West Plains was indicted by a grand jury on April 16 for two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, and one count of attempted possession of a controlled substance. 

According to probable cause statements filed by law enforcement, Gunter was one of three people present in the shooting deaths of Frankie Ziegler and Richard Kuntz. Alleged accomplices, Joey Marcak and Kyla Croney, have had their cases adjudicated. Gunter was originally charged in May 2020, and the case was transferred to Douglas County. There are no public records available of that case after transfer. This matter reappeared in the public record with a grand jury indictment in Howell County in April. A warrant for Gunter’s arrest was issued on April 17.

Gunter was arrested by Howell County Sheriff’s Deputies last week. According to a release from the Sheriff’s Office, Corporal Seth Smith and Deputy First Class Dakota Millard responded to a residence on State Route AB near West Plains on June 1 at 8:00 a.m.

Deputies set a perimeter around a camper on the property and began giving verbal commands to the subject to exit the dwelling. After serval minutes, Gunter came outside and was taken into custody without incident. 

The accused remains in custody on a $500,000 bond. 

On June 2, Gunter appeared before the Honorable Steven Privette for arraignment and pled not guilty. This matter is scheduled for a counsel status hearing on June 23.