Key Witness In High Profile Murder Case Shoots Home Intruder

O’FALLON, MISSOURI — A key witness in a high profile murder case shot and killed an intruder who accosted her outside her home. Police say the woman pulled into her driveway where she encountered 33-year-old Louis Gumpenberger. Gumpenberger did not appear to have a car nearby, indicating that he was either dropped off or walked to the location. Gumpenberger got into a confrontation with the victim in the driveway and she retreated inside her home.

According to KMOV 4, O’Fallon Police indicate a 911 call was placed from the victim’s home indicating that there was a burglary in progress at her residence. Several moments later, gunshots were heard. Gumpenberger had followed her inside and was shot and killed. She reported the death over the same 911 call.

“This initially began in her driveway, she was in her car, the person, the deceased, approached her there and then there was some type of confrontation. She ran in to the house and he followed her,” said Roy Joachimstaler, Chief of Police for the O’Fallon Police Department.

The victim had been a key witness in a 2011 murder case involving a man charged with murdering his wife. The wife was stabbed to death and the husband was charged as he attemped to collect a sizeable life insurance policy on her.

He was acquitted due to evidence in the case potentially indicating that the chain of events could have gone differently and thus he could not be placed at the scene of the crime at the time of the murder.

In either case, there is no clear indication the two events are connected. It would certainly vindicate this woman’s decision to purchase a handgun and use it for her own self-defense — but no vindication is needed for that decision. That’s just a good call for anyone legally allowed to possess a firearm.

She definitely invested wisely.

The oddity of this case is the selection process of her home. The victim is not believed to have known Gumpenberger prior to the home invasion. Police have been unsuccessful in locating any vehicle he may have used to arrive at the location. His motive and reasoning for the crime are currently unknown.

This is certainly a weird one for the books.

We track a lot of defensive gun use news events and this, by far, has the weirdest background of them all.

In any case, we’re glad the homeowner was able to successfully defend herself against a home intruder. This is even further evidence that the best place to have a firearm is on your person. That way, if you need it, you don’t have to go anywhere to retrieve it.

Carry your gun on you. It’s the safest way to carry.