Death of murder-suicide victim ruled a homicide

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The death of a woman who died late last November has been ruled as a homicide.

According to autopsy results, the cause of death for a woman who died two weeks after she was shot during an attempted murder-suicide has been ruled as a homicide.

Asia L. Plagman, 22, was found unresponsive in the 2800 block of Jacobs Place on Nov. 29, 2019. She was taken to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

Two weeks earlier, on Nov. 15, Deshawn Z. Graves, 22, had shot Plagman, and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Plagman was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Her autopsy shows she later died as the result of a pulmonary embolism.

ABC 17 News reached out to Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones for a statement about Plagman's death.

"Last year was challenging for our community. Although many of the shootings resulted in arrests, it brings little consolation. Asia was a victim of domestic violence and it highlights the need to watch out for each other," he said.

Plagman's death marks the thirteenth shooting death in Columbia in 2019.

There were more shooting deaths in 2019 than in the previous two years.

There has already been at least 25 reports of shots fired in Columbia in 2020.

At least six of those incidents had victims or injuries reported.

There have been at least nine shots fired incidents in May alone.

"We have had shots fired and shootings this year. We have a responsibility as a community to speak up and find ways to support non-violent behavior," Jones said in a statement. "CPD will continue to work with youth, other community organizations to help support their efforts. In addition we will continue to aggressively pursue those who prey on others. We can't afford to lose our youth and the talent they bring."