A 19-year-old Centerview resident has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly shooting and killing his grandfather, claiming the older man had been poisoning him. The deadly incident took place on Sunday, August 1, in Johnson County, Missouri.
According to court records, Mastin Raines faces two Class A felony counts of second-degree murder, one unclassified felony count of armed criminal action, and one Class A felony count of unlawful use of a weapon involving shooting from or at a motor vehicle resulting in death or injury.
Raines was arraigned on Monday, August 2, in Johnson County Court, where he entered a plea of not guilty to all charges. Police reports state that law enforcement responded to a call about gunfire in the 300 block of Southwest Highway 58 in Centerview. When officers arrived, they encountered Raines outside the home.
One responding officer reported that Raines said, “He will never do it again.” When asked who he was referring to, Raines allegedly replied, “My grandfather, he’ll never do that again.” Investigators found the victim, identified as 66-year-old William Gustin, lying on the living room floor with multiple gunshot wounds to his stomach, shoulder, and neck, as per Fox4KC.
Detectives believe the shots were fired at close range, noting two bullet holes in the floor beside the victim’s head, suggesting that the bullets exited the body and struck the floor. A witness inside the home told police they heard gunshots and hid in the bathroom. When the gunfire stopped, the witness saw Raines holding a firearm.
The witness said they asked Raines to hand over the weapon, and he complied, reportedly admitting, “I shot Gustin.” Detectives later interviewed Raines after reading him his Miranda rights. During questioning, Raines allegedly told investigators he believed his grandfather had been “poisoning” him and said, “Today is the day,” referring to his decision to kill him.
According to the probable cause statement, Raines confessed that he loaded a 30.06 semi-automatic rifle and began drinking alcohol to build up the courage to carry out the act. He admitted to shooting Gustin twice—once through the stomach and once through the spine.
Court documents indicate that a Class A felony in Missouri carries a sentence of 10 to 30 years or life imprisonment. Raines remains in custody as the investigation continues. Authorities have not released additional information about the alleged poisoning claim or any prior disputes between the suspect and his grandfather.