Authorities in Fulton County have solved another cold case after an investigation led by Detective Dale Weaver has been solved and 65-year-old Dennis Kingston has been charged with murder in the first degree and felon in possession of a firearm.
The initial incident occurred on Aug. 25, 2004 when Sharp County 911 received a call to report a shooting incident.
The caller at the time reported the victim had been shot at a residence on Whipporwill Road, south of Wheeling in rural Fulton County.
The victim, David Stone was transported to the Salem Airport and then airlifted to a hospital in Springfield where he passed away as a result of his injuries.
On Aug. 26, 2004, Dr. Paul Spence, the Green County Missouri Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on Stone and reported Stone had did as a result of a gunshot wound described as “distant”.
The report indicated the direction of travel for the bullet was front to back and downward.
It was retrieved and placed into evience.
Arkansas State Police Sergeant, Mark Hollingsworth was called in to assist in the investigation and was met by then Fulton County Sheriff’s Deputy Brad Schaufler who said it appeared the victim had been shot while standing in front of a window. Stone was visiting J.R. King at the time.
When help arrived on scene the night of the incident, Stone was conscious and stated he did not know who had shot him.
King told authorities the two men had just finished eating dinner and were cleaning up when they heard a “pop” and Stone said he’d been shot.
At first, King thought Stone was playing a practical joke, but soon realized after seeing Stone pull his shirt up, there was a hole above his stomach the size of a thumb and Stone was in trouble.
After lying his friend down, King ran from the home to his gate and yelled “you son of a bitch you got the wrong one!”
He said he was outside for less than a minute and knew there weren’t any vehicles that left the area. That day, King and Stone were wearing the same colored shirt and King had just walked by the window Stone was standing in front of when he was shot.
At the time, authorities were aware of an ongoing conflict between Darrell and David Burch and King.
The conflict stemmed from an incident in December of 2003, when Darrell Burch alleged King had gotten into a fight and pulled a gun on him and hit him with a vehicle.
In May of 2004, David Burch’s daughter had gone to King’s house and when he saw his daughter with King, a fight broke out and Burch was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
On the day of the shooting, the court had made a decision regarding the charges David Burch had filed against King. The court found King not guilty and ordered him to pay $200 toward David Burch’s medical bills which infuriated David Burch.
On Aug. 27, 2004, an interview was held with Dennis Kingston who told authorities Darrell Burch had traded some weapons with another individual, Brian Beaver and several weeks before the shooting, a trade was proposed a .223 rifle for a Ruger .25-06.
The trade took place sometime in July and Beaver provided the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department with the serial number and place the firearm was purchased.
When the Burch residence was searched, the .223 rifle with a scope was not found.
Darrell Burch denied trading for or giving one but stated he had a New England Arms 22 Hornet.
Kingston said he had helped zero in the .223 firearm the day before the shooting.
Burch later told authorities he’d left the .223 firearm and some others in a camper and it was stolen, but he had not made a report.
On Sept. 26, 2023, Kingston was interviewed and advised Detective Weaver just a few days before the homicide, he and Darrell Burch took the .223 to a pond nearby to zero it in and that the two had fired approximately 10 rounds.
He estimated the distance to be approximately 200 yards from the firearm to the target.
In a series of individuals held with others who were present in the days leading up to the shooting, authorities were told Kingston was very angry that King had beaten up his friend.
It was also learned the night David Burch was beaten, after returning from the hospital he fell asleep but Darrell Burch and Kingston were overheard having a conversation about killing King, but that time needed to pass before it happened.
The day of the shooting, another person was interviewed who was with David Burch and Kingston who said David Burch was not nearly as upset about the outcome of the courtcase as Kingston was. Kingston did not mention a name, but said that he was going to shoot somebody.
After a series of additional interviews, Detective Weaver met with Kingston on Feb. 16, 2024.
Kingston advised David Burch had been with him the night of the homicide and the two had gone fishing at a pond across from King’s property.
Kingston said the two had gone in David’s car and stayed until after dark, but David left to go back home leaving Kingston at the pond.
Kingston said he waited approximately 30 to 45 minutes before crossing the road to King’s property and it took him an hour to an hour and a half to walk from King’s property back to David Burch’s house and that he walked through the brush in the dark.
On Feb. 23, 2024, Kingston returned to the Sheriff’s Office and Advised Detective Weaver that David Burch had taken him over to a county road identified as Mulberry which was on the west side of King’s property.
Kingston walked from the road along the fence row and took up a position by a clump of trees near a swinging barrell.
He then waitied about 30 minutes and took rest off one of the trees and shot at a shadow that was inside the house.
He said he then left walking back to David Burch’s house through the woods and the road.
Kingston hid the rifle in one of the old cars parked near David Burch’s shop.
Kinston said it was Darrell Burch’s Rifel which hwas an H&R Bull barrel .223 caliber that he had shot a few times prior.
Kingston said he’d obtained the rifle a few days earlier and hidden it by the road until the night he used it.
He gave it back to Darrell Burch the day after the murder when he got off work.
Kingston stated he did not intent to shoot David Stone, but to shoot King out of anger for what King had done to David Burch.
As a result, Kingston is being held without bond in the Fulton County Jail charged with murder in the first degree and felon in possession of a firearm.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
