OSAGE COUNTY  —  An emotional scene unfolded last Wednesday, March 6, at the Osage County Courthouse as Warren M. Taylor of Chamois, who turned 65 this week, pleaded guilty to the July 2021 murder of Chamois residents Leonard Gerloff, 59, and his wife, Pauline, 56, slain in the front yard of their home on Muddy Water Lane.

Prosecuting Attorney Amanda Grellner filed an amendment to the original charges to dismiss two counts of armed criminal action as part of the plea deal. She also agreed to seek the reduced charges of murder in the second degree — from the original first-degree murder charges — as part of the plea agreement.

Accompanied by attorneys Frank Carlson and Blake Fisher of Carlson Law Firm of Union, Taylor waived a formal reading of the amended information. Taylor acknowledged that he entered a guilty plea to two counts of second-degree murder in exchange for a recommendation by the state of life in prison with the possibility of parole on each count.

“The state alleges, sir, that on or about July 23, 2021, in the county of Osage, state of Missouri, you knowingly caused the death of Pauline Gerloff by shooting her in the head,” said Judge Ryan Helfrich. “Mr. Taylor, do you understand those allegations?”

“Yes, sir,” Taylor replied.

“Are each and every one of them true?” Judge Helfrich asked.

“Yes, sir,” said Taylor.

“Are you pleading guilty at this time to count one as contained in the first amended information?”

“Yes, sir,” Taylor replied.

“Mr. Taylor, are you pleading guilty to that offense because you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?”

“Yes,” said Taylor.

“Mr. Taylor, the first amended information contains also count three, which charges you with the same offense, murder in the second degree, a Class A felony,” said Judge Helfrich, noting the state also alleged that on or about the same date and location, Taylor knowingly caused the death of Leonard Gerloff by shooting him in the chest. “Mr. Taylor, do you understand all of those allegations?”

“Yes,” Taylor said.

“Are each and every one of them true?” Judge Helfrich asked.

“Yes, sir,” Taylor replied.

Judge Helfrich confirmed through questioning that Taylor is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the charges against him. Taylor also told the court that he entered the plea agreement based on the state’s recommendation of life in prison and that he had not been promised anything else for his plea.

Judge Helfrich also ensured that Taylor understood he waived his Constitutional right to a trial by jury or the court with the plea agreement.

Grellner confirmed that both counts of second-degree murder are Class A felonies carrying a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 30 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections or a sentence of life imprisonment.

After explaining other elements of his defense — waived by the plea agreement — and confirming that Taylor was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and had been given plenty of time to reach his decision, Judge Helfrich asked Taylor if his attorneys did everything he wanted them to do in his defense.

“Yes, sir,” Taylor replied.

“Did your counsel force you in any way to get you to plead guilty here today?” Judge Helfrich.

“No, sir,” Taylor said.

“Are you pleading guilty this morning upon your own free will?”

“Yes, sir,” the defendant replied.

“Mr. Taylor, can you think of anything at all that your attorneys could or should have done differently while representing you in this matter?”

“No, sir.”

“Are you completely satisfied with the legal services that you’ve received?” Judge Helfrich asked.

“Yes, sir.”

Judge Helfrich found Taylor’s plea to be voluntary, knowing, and intelligent. “You’re found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” he said.

Taylor waived a sentencing assessment report, and Judge Helfrich noted that counselors agreed to take up sentencing at 9 a.m. on March 25 in Franklin County. He will continue to be held in Union.

AGREEING TO A PLEA

When Grellner first began prosecution, she indicated she would not offer a plea agreement with minimal punishment. “It will be a cold day in you-know-what before I recommend a minimum sentence,” she said at the time.

Following Wednesday’s plea hearing, Grellner clarified her position. “The plea offer that I offered them? Well, he probably would have been better off taking his chances at trial,” she said. “So, they came to me with that, and then I met with the family for several hours and answered questions. I explained I had been in touch with the Department of Corrections about some of the calculations and let them make that decision.”

Grellner noted that sentences vary when a defendant is older, as in Taylor’s case. “I think DOC probably doesn’t want to take care of or pay for all their medical bills,” she added.

Nearly three years later, the family wants closure of some sort. “I just think it was a consensus that he would serve time in prison, and hopefully, for the rest of his life,” said Leonard’s sister, Dottie McCubbin. “And, I think we just all felt like it was the best outcome. We have our mother to consider, and the process has been very difficult.

“And you know, no matter what happens, we can’t have what we lost; we can have our loved ones back,” McCubbin continued. “So, you have to decide at some point, do we want this process and Warren Taylor to continually drag us down? This way, we can move forward. As a family, we can start to heal. It’s not what we really wanted, but we accept it. I worked in the judicial system, and I know it can be a very, very long process. We’ve already been through a very long three years. At some point, we just have to move forward, start the healing process, and let our loved ones rest in peace.”

BUILDING A CASE

Osage County deputies arrested Taylor just 10 hours after the discovery of Leonard and Pauline Gerloff, and Grellner charged him the following Tuesday. He has been held on a no-bond warrant issued by Judge Sonya D. Brandt, explaining she did so because of potential danger to the community.

Taylor maintained his innocence, telling Judge Brandt he should be allowed bond because he’d been in the community for 22 years and wasn’t going anywhere, adding, “They’re my friends. Why would I do that?”

Grellner explained her reasons Taylor should be held without bond. “The probable cause statement lays out more than sufficient facts for the charges,” she said. “Due to the gruesome and horrific nature of the crime and the impact on our small county and the even smaller community, I ask that there be no bond. Some in the state don’t take this as seriously as we do, but for the safety of the community, I think no bond is appropriate.”

Sheriff Mike Bonham explained the crime was discovered just after noon on Saturday, July 23, 2021, when deputies responded to a residence north of Linn for a report of two deceased individuals. They were found by family members, according to Capt. Travis Shaffer, of Chamois, who knew the couple.

“A case like this is a shock to everyone,” said Shaffer. “There hasn’t been a murder here in Osage County for many years, and we as a community are not used to this level of violence. The community has done a good job helping us with information. We are more than pleased with the outpouring of support.”

Deputies were dispatched to the scene just after noon on Saturday following the discovery of the bodies. The sheriff’s office requested the assistance of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC). Investigators determined that both were victims of an apparent homicide.

MSHP DDCC Master Sgt. Marcus Reynolds, in his probable cause statement, said he was advised that Pauline Gerloff had sustained an apparent gunshot wound to the head and that Leonard Gerloff was lying face down on the ground and had blood on his body and clothing. He was the victim of a gunshot to the chest.

As the investigation continued, deputies learned that a witness identified Taylor driving a red 2019 Chevy Silverado in the area of Muddy Water Lane. The witness noted the truck was red and had pulled out in front of her, which forced her to veer left to avoid a collision. The truck then traveled behind her, tailgating, and the witness identified Taylor as the driver when he made a left turn onto a gravel road. While she could not see if a passenger had been in the truck, the witness positively identified Taylor as the driver.

Taylor agreed to be interviewed at the Osage County Sheriff’s Office. He agreed to be transported to the office, and his truck was subsequently seized to be searched pursuant to a warrant.

Taylor reportedly told investigators that witnesses could provide an alibi, stating that he was at the Twist a Top until 10:30 p.m. on Friday. However, witnesses informed authorities that they had seen Taylor leave the bar between 8:30 and 9 p.m. and had last seen him turning south on Hwy. 89.

The Gerloffs lived just south of Chamois on Hwy. 89.

A neighborhood canvass led to the discovery of a video surveillance system at a nearby residence, which showed that Leonard had pulled into his driveway at about 8:34 p.m. on Friday, July 22. At approximately 9:01, an unknown Chevy truck pulled into the driveway, and a short time later, the same vehicle made what appeared to be a hasty retreat.

In the hearing that bound Taylor over for trial, Missouri State Highway Patrol Division of Drug and Crime Control Trooper Max Lawson testified that he received a call from the Osage County Sheriff’s Office and met deputies at the bridge over Shawnee Creek.

A .357 Magnum found by a resident was placed in a bucket containing creek water to preserve the original state of the weapon before it was tested.

Ballistics testing concluded that the bullet fragments taken from the bodies matched the weapon, proving that this handgun was used to kill Leonard and Pauline Gerloff.

REMEMBERING THE GOOD

Taylor was granted a change of venue to Franklin County, where he has been jailed awaiting prosecution.

Last week’s hearing confirms that Taylor committed the murders of two people loved by family and friends in the Chamois community.

“They were both very strong and forthright people,” said McCubbin. “We never had to second-guess them, and they both had hearts of solid gold. They would be the first ones to jump in and help not only family, but also any person in their life. There was always laughter, love, and support. That’s what keeps us going.”