Accused shooter takes plea deal in Columbia grocery store parking lot death

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man charged with first-degree murder for a shooting in a Columbia grocery store parking lot took a reduced charge in a plea deal on Thursday.

Loyal Martell pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the August 2022 shooting death of Shavez Waage in the parking lot outside Moser's on North Keene Street. Judge Josh Devine sentenced him to 20 years in prison with credit for time served.

In exchange for the plea, prosecutors dropped three felony charges -- two counts of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree robbery, according to court records.

Martell was arrested days after the shooting in Callaway County. Another suspect, Joshua Dudley, was found in Kirksville, Missouri. Dudley pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and first-degree robbery in February.

Dudley was scheduled to be sentenced in April but that was postponed to September pending a trial against Martell. That trial will no longer be necessary but it's unclear whether that will change the timing of Dudley's sentencing.

Dudley alleged told police that Martell was the shooter and that they had plans to rob Waage the day of the shooting.