Benton County Sheriff’s Office launches homicide investigation in fatal shooting

WARSAW, Mo. – The Benton County Sheriff’s Office has opened a murder investigation after a man was shot dead in Warsaw.

Benton County Central Dispatch received a call from a man saying a middle-aged man got into the back seat of his truck and yelled at the driver that he had been shot and drove away.

The assailant continued to shoot at the vehicle as it left the scene. The driver of the van carrying the victim, Lance M. Lyman, 28, of Warsaw, arrived at the Warsaw Ambulance Base. Lyman died of his wounds before he could be saved.

The Benton County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team requested the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) due to the unclear origin of the incident and the lack of staff ready to respond to the shooting. Delegates and SWAT members responded to the scene of the shooting at the end of Clearwater Street near Warsaw and attempted to contact the alleged shooter.

The suspect was arrested without further incident after the MSHP Swat Team surrounded his residence.

According to witnesses, the suspect began assaulting a woman, and Lyman tried to intervene. The suspect then began shooting at Lyman.

The suspect was placed in the Benton County Jail.