Springfield man indicted on murder, felonious assault counts after person shot twice in chest
May 15—A Springfield man was indicted for murder and felonious assault for allegedly shooting another man twice in the chest May 2.
James Earl Tompkins, 67, faces two murder charges and one second-degree felonious assault charge in the death of Roderick L. Fudge, 63. All charges include a firearm specification.
According to court records, Springfield Police Division officers were dispatched to an apartment in the 200 block of Montgomery Avenue for a man found "down in his apartment and unresponsive" that night. A witness told a 911 dispatcher that the victim appeared to have been hit with something because there was blood on the floor. Fudge was pronounced dead on the scene by Springfield Fire and Rescue Division medics.
Detectives arrived on scene and were approached by Tompkins, who told them he had been with the man earlier and he had a concealed carry permit and had a pistol in his pocket, according to court records. Police observed blood on his clothing and took him to police headquarters for an interview.
Fudge was found on the kitchen floor with blood on the back of his clothing and on the floor, according to court records. The top of an electric fan was found on the floor as if it had been knocked from the base, and there were two chairs facing away from the table "as if someone had been seated in them and got up."
Police used a gunshot residue kit on Tompkins and swabbed and photographed blood found on the heel of his left palm, according to court records. Surveillance video from the apartment complex showed Fudge entering his apartment alone at 6:52 p.m., and Tompkins walked down the hall and entered wearing a bucket hat at 7:16 p.m.
At 8:28 pm., Tompkins left Fudge's apartment without his bucket hat, "noticeably faster than before," according to court records. Police found a bucket hat underneath the victim, as well as two .380 caliber shell casings and two gunshot wounds to his chest. According to court documents, Tompkins had a Ruger .380 pistol on him.
No court dates have yet been set.
