GAINESVILLE, Missouri – A woman from Ozark County is now facing a murder charge after her boyfriend was tragically killed in a domestic dispute that turned fatal. Shannon Lori Collins, 49, of rural Gainesville, has been charged with murder in the second degree, along with tampering with a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.
Initially, Collins was charged with domestic battery and leaving the scene of an accident involving physical injury. The victim in the incident was identified as 55-year-old Mark Ault, also from rural Gainesville.
According to Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin, the incident occurred last Wednesday morning at the couple’s residence, where an argument escalated. Collins, attempting to leave in Ault’s vehicle, had Ault trying to stop her by standing on the running boards of the vehicle. A witness reported that Collins accelerated and then abruptly braked, causing Ault to be thrown over the hood of the vehicle, resulting in a fatal head injury.
When Sheriff Martin arrived at the scene, he found Ault lying on the ground with severe head trauma. Ault was rushed to Cox Medical Center South in Springfield for treatment but succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Sheriff Martin confirmed that Ault was not run over by the vehicle, and a witness reported that Collins circled back to the area before fleeing. She was apprehended by law enforcement approximately 13-14 hours later, following a search.
Domestic issues at the couple’s residence were not unfamiliar to local authorities, with Sheriff Martin mentioning multiple calls made to address conflicts between Collins and Ault in the past. Collins is currently being held without bond in the Ozark County Jail.
