Change of Venue Announced for Laclede County Murder Trial

The first-degree murder and armed criminal action trial of a Lebanon man for his role in a shooting last June in Phillipsburg will now be heard in Miller County on a change of venue from Laclede County.

Malikai Salyers and a friend, Ashton Beyer also from Lebanon, were accused of picking up David Arbogast before an argument ensued between Arbogast and Beyer with Beyer allegedly shooting Arbogast four times in the back of his head.

Salyers’ jury trial was scheduled to begin this week but was stricken when his attorney told the court she would be out of town and unavailable.

The change of venue was sustained with no objection on Tuesday. Salyers will remain in Laclede County custody until a new trial date. Beyer previously plead to an amended second-degree murder charge and was sentenced to 35 years in prison.