Wayne Stock, 58, was found dead in his rural Murdock farmhouse April 17. He had been shot in the head at close range. He grew up in Murdock, graduated from high school there and later served on the school board. He owned Stock Hay Co. and worked as a farmer. After his death, Murdock residents described him as a respected community member. He and his wife, Sharmon, had three children and four grandchildren.
Sharmon Drake Stock, 55, was found dead in her home April 17. Like her husband, she had been shot in the head at close range. She grew up in Elmwood and graduated from high school there. She spent 17 years working as a paraeducator for the Manley school and baked wedding cakes on the side. Her friends remembered her as a good mother, gracious host and active community member. The Stocks were members of Ebenezer United Methodist Church.
Matthew Livers, 28, was Wayne Stock’s nephew. He had disagreed with the Stocks about money and land ownership. Still, he attended Easter dinner at their home the day before they were killed. He also attended their funeral. Livers was arrested April 25 and is being held in the Cass County Jail. He faces two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony. His trial begins Jan. 8.
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Nicholas Sampson, 21, worked at Bulldog’s Bar & Grill in Murdock and, briefly, at Linweld in Waverly. Matthew Livers is his cousin, and he knew the Stock family, though he was not related to them. Sampson lived in Palmyra when he was arrested April 25. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of use of a weapon to commit a felony, but Cass County Attorney Nathan Cox dropped the charges Friday, citing a lack of evidence.
Gregory Fester II, 19, was arrested in Wisconsin June 9 after a ring found in the Stock home linked him to the scene. He and his girlfriend, Jessica Reid, had been on a cross-country road trip in a stolen vehicle when they allegedly wound up at the Stocks’ home. Later, their DNA was found on the ring and a marijuana pipe recovered at the scene. He faces two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony. He is being held in the Cass County Jail and is set to face trial Feb. 26.
Jessica Reid, 17, was arrested in Wisconsin June 7. Her grandmother described her as an honor student and cheerleader who began to rebel after her mom and stepfather divorced a few years ago. She faces two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony. She is at the Cass County Jail awaiting a Jan. 29 trial.
