Skiles Appears In Court Tuesday

A Desloge man charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of an apparent failed burglary attempt appeared in court Tuesday for a preliminary hearing.

Edward A. Skiles, 54, faces one count of second-degree murder and one count of first-degree accessory to a burglary in the July 1 incident that left Jesse A. Moritz, 34, dead.

Skiles is being held on a $340,000 bond. He is expected back in court on Tuesday, Aug. 8.

Moritz's body was found in a vehicle at Sullivan Mobil that morning.

Skiles was allegedly with Moritz when they decided to burglarize a residence on Possum Hollow Road in Leasburg. The homeowner said he was in his room when he heard someone run onto his porch and yell, "I'm going to kill him!"

The homeowner heard his glass porch door shatter and what sounded like a gunshot. He grabbed his gun off a desk and fired one to two shots at the intruder, who was between the storm door and glass door.

Moritz retreated and yelled that he had been shot. The homeowner knew Moritz from previous encounters, according to the probable cause statement.

Three car doors were heard slamming shut and a vehicle driven by Skiles left the property.

Skiles told authorities he had picked up Moritz and Doris Jones, 47, Arnold, the previous night. He said Moritz got into his car with a baseball bat and a case of beer. Moritz was drinking and told Skiles to drive to "an old family farm" in Leasburg so he could "play a joke on someone."

When Skiles pulled into the driveway, he said Moritz grabbed the bat and put a handkerchief on his face.

Skiles told authorities he didn't find it odd that Moritz was doing this at 4 a.m. Skiles said he heard glass break and Moritz ran back to the car, yelling that he had been shot.

Skiles said he drove from Possum Hollow to Highway N to Highway 185 in Sullivan, then stopped at Mobil to call for help.

Authorities asked Skiles why he took such a long route to Sullivan. Skiles said he was looking for the "fire station on Highway 185."

Skiles also said he never thought to use one of the phones in the vehicle to call 911 and the reception was poor.

Jones is charged with possession of a controlled substance and said she was playing a game on her phone while Skiles and Moritz talked. She also said she never thought to call 911 after Moritz had been shot.