Newton County, Missouri — Earlier this week, a couple was charged with homicide. They allegedly sold/traded drugs to a man in exchange for a Cricut machine. The man died from an overdose in late 2024.
Jesse Dunn, 39, was found dead from an overdose on December 1, 2024. Newton County detectives and the Neosho Police Department launched a death investigation.
“It was determined that Dunn had been given fentanyl in exchange for a Cricut machine. The investigation also determined that suspects, Gatlin Pennington and Madison Stonecipher were aware that the narcotics that they had given to Dunn may have contained xylazine.”
— NCSO
Newton County detectives, with assistance from Neosho PD, Joplin PD, and ODET, have continued to work on this death investigation. On March 6, 2025, Gatlin Pennington and Madison Stonecipher were charged with second-degree murder.
Pennington is currently detained in the Jasper County Jail on previous drug possession charges. Stonecipher was found during a traffic stop in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, early Saturday evening, March 8.
I am proud of the outstanding work that was done by our Detectives as well as the cooperation and assistance that we received from Neosho PD, Joplin PD, and ODET. Because of the outstanding work and cooperation, we were able to present charges to the Newton County Prosecutor, and charges were filed.“
— Sheriff Matt Stewart, Newton Co. Mo.
