Presiding Circuit Judge Gael Wood said he rejected a plea agreement in a 2014 murder case because he felt the deal was “too lenient.”
Judge Wood told The Missourian Monday that he made that decision after reviewing the sentencing assessment report (SAR) for Dennis W. Brooks, Pacific.
Brooks, 65, pleaded guilty in August under an agreement that he would serve 25-year concurrent prison sentences for second-degree murder charges in the deaths of Malinda A. Rash, 43, Pacific, and Carl Redmon, 50.
Judge Woods postponed sentencing until the SAR was returned.
Brooks originally was charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and first-degree burglary in connection with the murders which occurred Nov. 16, 2014.
First-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, which under Missouri standards equates to 30 years.
Under the plea agreement, Brooks would have had to serve 85 percent of the 25 years before he would have been eligible for parole. He also could have been granted credit for time already served in the county jail.
Judge Wood said he could not go into detail about his ruling which he made Thursday, Nov. 3, after reviewing the SAR.
The judge continued the case until Dec. 20 for “further proceedings,” according to an online court docket entry.
Prosecuting Attorney Bob Parks said he doesn’t know what will happen in the case now, but said he may propose proceeding with a jury trial.
Meanwhile, Brooks remains jailed on a $1 million bond awaiting disposition of his case.
He has been confined in the county jail since he was arrested for the murders.
Authorities arrested Brooks in the case about 12 hours after the murder was reported to police shortly after 5 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014.
Brooks confessed to police that he killed Redmon and Rash with a 12-gauge shotgun. Brooks, who authorities said was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Rash, left Rash’s apartment following an argument and returned a short time later with the loaded shotgun, according to reports. Police later recovered the gun.
Brooks told police that after Rash ordered him to leave her apartment, he became increasingly angry over the argument.
Brooks said he grabbed his 12-gauge shotgun and began to walk from his home back to Rash’s apartment. During the walk he loaded three rounds of ammunition into the shotgun, according to police.
After arriving back at the apartment, Brooks allegedly forced his way inside, then fired two shots, killing both Redmon and Rash.
