WARRENSBURG — Jeffrey Lourash, critically ill but recovering from what police say was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, was arrested in his hospital bed Monday and charged with shooting his wife Tabitha Lourash to death in their Warrensburg home.
The Macon County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest Tuesday and said the 57-year-old man had been booked on a charge of first degree murder.
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Sgt. Scott Flannery, a spokesman for the sheriff’s office, said Lourash is now under guard in a Springfield hospital with bail set at $10 million.
“When he is released from the hospital he will be transferred to the Macon County Jail,” Flannery said.
A news release from police filled in details about the violence in the Lourash home that took the life of 41-year-old Tabitha Lourash.
Flannery described Jeffrey Lourash getting into a physical altercation on the evening of Nov. 23 with his 17-year-old son which had led to police being alerted with a 911 call reporting domestic battery.
“Shortly after the physical altercation, the 17-year-old ran upstairs,” said Flannery.
“As he was heading up the stairs he heard gunshots coming from downstairs and directed his younger siblings to escape through the upstairs window and run to the neighbors. Investigators determined that Jeffrey had shot his wife multiple times in the kitchen area before attempting to take his own life in the living room.”
Flannery said police had “immediately attempted life-saving measures” on Tabitha Lourash but could not revive her.
Flannery said the family’s children aged 17, 15, 13 and 11 are now being looked after by family members.
Speaking to the Herald & Review, Flannery said he could not say when Jeffrey Lourash will be well enough to be moved from hospital to jail. "We do expect it to be sooner rather than later, but really it's in the hands of the medical team when they can release him to us," Flannery added.
"We want to make sure he is stable enough to come to a jail facility, and there may be a lot of follow-ups that we have to take him back to hospital for. We don't have the capability of providing the care they can do in a hospital."
The Herald & Review has previously reported that the village of Warrensburg and others have launched an appeal to raise money to assist the family. An account in the family’s name has been set up at Buena Vista National Bank in Warrensburg.
A GoFundMe campaign is also underway with a goal of $25,000. "Tabitha was an incredible woman of faith and a mother who was deeply devoted to her four children," reads a message posted with the GoFundMe page.
Connect to it at GoFundMe: Help support Tabitha’s memorial and her children
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