Carter Joshua Curtis handed his stepmother a rifle and walked slowly down the stairs after police say he put a bullet in his father's head, telling her as he departed: "I already called 911 and I had to do it."
Background
The killing occurred on Sept. 28, 2024, at a residence on 8th Street in Adrian, Missouri — a small town roughly 55 miles due south of Kansas City. At 11:23 p.m., Curtis, then 19, called 911 to report he had shot his father, according to a probable cause statement filed by the Adrian Police Department.
When officers arrived minutes later, they encountered two hysterical white females in the driveway along with a juvenile outside, the charging document states. Someone at the scene shouted as police surveyed the area: "He has never been violent."
Inside the home, officers found 41-year-old John McMurphy dead with a visible gunshot wound to his head, lying face down on the kitchen floor. The weapon was a Mossberg Patriot .308 caliber bolt-action rifle — a firearm typically used for long-distance shooting. Upon recovery, "there was a spent shell casing still in the chamber," and the magazine contained no additional bullets.
The victim's wife told police she woke to the sound of a single gunshot before walking into the hallway where Curtis stood holding the rifle. He handed her the weapon, authorities said. She later found her husband "face down in the dining room by the table."
Curtis was arrested one block from the scene shortly after officers responded.
The Sentencing
Last week, Carter Joshua Curtis, now 20, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder before 27th Judicial Circuit Court Judge M. Brandon Baker. In exchange for his plea, a charge of first-degree murder was reduced and an armed criminal action count was dismissed entirely under the terms of the deal.
Baker sentenced Curtis to 20 years in prison with credit for 613 days spent in pretrial detention — time he has already served since his arrest following the killing.
Key Takeaways
- John McMurphy, 41, was shot and killed inside his Adrian, Missouri home on Sept. 28, 2024
- His son, Carter Joshua Curtis, called 911 himself to report the shooting before officers arrived
- After the killing, Curtis handed the rifle to his stepmother and told her "I had to do it" as he walked away
- Curtis was originally charged with first-degree murder but pleaded guilty to second-degree murder under a plea deal
- He received a 20-year sentence with credit for over 600 days already served
What's Next
Curtis will begin serving his sentence immediately at a Missouri Department of Corrections facility. The case is now closed following the concluded plea and sentencing.
The victim's family attended the hearing but did not address the court during proceedings, according to court records.