Randy Stone was a devout Christian, a loving husband and father, and a successful insurance agent in Independence, Missouri. He was also a close friend of David Love, the pastor of his church. But on March 31, 2010, Randy’s life was cut short by a bullet to his head. The shocking truth behind his death would reveal a decade-long affair, a twisted murder plot, and a betrayal of trust that rocked the community.
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The Discovery of the Body
On the day of the murder, Randy’s wife Teresa called 911 to report that she had found her husband dead in his insurance office. She claimed that she had gone there to check on him after he didn’t answer her phone calls. When the police arrived, they found Randy lying on the floor with a gunshot wound to his head. There were no signs of struggle or robbery, and the only clue was a torn-up letter in a trash can beside Teresa’s desk. The letter seemed to be a birthday message from someone who was not Randy, expressing his love for Teresa.
The Affair with the Pastor
The police soon suspected that Teresa was having an affair with David Love, the pastor of New Hope Baptist Church, where Randy and Teresa were members. David was also one of Randy’s best friends and had given a eulogy at his funeral. There had been rumors about David and Teresa’s relationship for a long time, but they had denied them and used emails and prepaid cellphones to keep it a secret from their spouses.
The police obtained a search warrant for David’s office and found a .40-caliber shell casing that matched the one found at the crime scene. They also found a receipt for a gun purchase that David had made two days before the murder. When they confronted David, he confessed that he had shot Randy in his office and then staged it to look like a suicide. He said that he and Teresa had planned to kill their spouses and run away together.
The Motive for the Murder
According to David, he and Teresa had been having an affair for 10 years and had fallen in love. They had even discussed having children together. Teresa had once been pregnant with David’s child but had miscarried. She then convinced Randy that it was his child despite him having had a vasectomy.
David said that he and Teresa wanted to get rid of their spouses because they were unhappy in their marriages and felt trapped by their religious beliefs. They also wanted to inherit their spouses’ life insurance policies and assets. On March 16, 2010, Teresa texted David that she wanted Randy dead. David agreed and bought a gun two days later. He then lured Randy to his office on March 31, 2010, under the pretext of discussing some insurance matters. He shot him in the head and left him there.
David also admitted that he had plans to kill his own wife by breaking her neck and running her car down a hill. However, he never got the chance to execute his plan because he was arrested for Randy’s murder.
The Aftermath of the Crime
David Love pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and armed criminal action in November 2011. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the murder charge and 15 years for the armed criminal action charge. He is currently serving his sentence at the Crossroads Correctional Center in Cameron, Missouri.
Teresa Stone pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit murder in March 2012. She was sentenced to eight years in prison. She was released on parole in February 2018 after serving six years of her sentence. She is currently living in Independence, Missouri.
Randy Stone’s family and friends were devastated by his death and the betrayal of his wife and friend. They remembered him as a kind, generous, and faithful man who loved God and his family. They also expressed forgiveness for David and Teresa, saying that they hoped they would repent and find peace with God.
According to ABC News, Randy’s son Zachary Stone said that he still loved his mother despite what she did. He said that he hoped she would learn from her mistakes and become a better person.
Randy’s daughter Hannah Stone said that she missed her father every day and wished he was still alive. She said that she hoped he was proud of her and watching over her from heaven.
