Unrevealed motive
Hannibal police have not discussed details or a motive, but family members of Fugate have speculated about what led to the shooting.
In the probable cause statement, a witness told police that Duane made the comment that S---s going to hit the fan soon, indicating that he allegedly had planned to kill Fugate.
This isnt something that just happened, said Feleicia Bunte, a cousin of Fugate. I believe fully in my heart that he had plans to do this. It was just a matter of where and when.
Somebody sensed something ahead of time, added an aunt, Esther Mudd.
Family members also have been told about possible motives, including that Pettey had been cheating on Fugate by dating a woman in Pike County for several weeks and that he had downloaded child *advertiser censored* on Fugates home computer.
Two family members said they believe Pettey owned the gun that was used to kill Fugate, but kept it at a relatives house because Fugate despised weapons and didnt want one in the house.
None of the allegations have been proven and no documents have been released to authenticate the claims.
Until I see the facts, Im not going to believe anything, Bunte said.
Police have not returned calls to the Courier-Post seeking comment.
Court records show that the only previous scrapes Pettey had with the law were minor traffic offenses when he lived in Piedmont and Troy.
Marion County Coroner Peggy Porter said Monday that Fugate died of several gunshots to the upper part of the body. An autopsy was done Friday in Columbia, but complete results will not be available for several weeks.
Fugates mother, Mary Patterson, found the body in the basement of the home Fugate shared with Pettey at 3611 Iowa Ave. Fugates daughter from a previous relationship was not home at the time.
Pettey was arrested without incident at 5:02 p.m. April 16. On Monday, he was in the Marion County Jail on $1 million cash-only bond, with a court appearance set for Friday.
Still stunned
A charge of first-degree murder indicates premeditation, which makes Fugates death all the harder on family members.
In the days leading up to her death, Fugate gave the impression that she couldnt have been happier.
It was shocking to hear about Sandi, Mudd said. We were hearing about bullet holes in the wall. Thats the most horrifying thing to learn about that she was murdered by the man who was supposed to love her. To think of what was going through her head at the time is unimaginable.
Nobody in the family that I know of had seen this coming, said another aunt, Mitzy Simpson. Its not just shocking, its horrifying. I feel sick to my stomach because I shook that mans hand and said Welcome to the family.
I was blindsided, Bunte added. It was a little too much. You couldnt expect that from anyone.
Family members have found one measure of condolence in the fact that Fugate seemed to be unaware of what Pettey allegedly had in mind.
Twice in the last four days of her life, Fugate wrote to friends on the Facebook Website that she looked forward to dancing following her April 17 wedding at First Assembly of God Church in Hannibal.
The day before she died, Fugate made similar comments to the stylists who did her hair and promised to put on the finishing touches Saturday morning.
She was telling the girls she couldnt wait to get on the plane and fly with her husband to Cancun, Simpson said.
Funeral services for Fugate were set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the James ODonnell Funeral Home.
There are so many questions that will probably never be answered, Bunte said.
Theres nothing anybody can say or do to comfort a family when a family member has been murdered, Mudd said. I hope and pray you dont have to go through this.
