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The death of Jim Cornwell in Missouri in 2005 in the days leading up to the Fourth of July celebrations shook the community in Phelps County. Jim Cornwell was shot to death in the head by a former Rolla businessman, Benjamin Hardy, as he fired his shotgun into him.
Episode 2 of season 6 brings the confusion Cornwell's death brought upon the Ozark community, as he was known to be the ladies' man in the area. The Murder in the Heartland episode titled Death of a Ladies Man showcases Jim Cornwell's murder as it re-airs on Investigation Discovery on June 26, 2024, at 7 p.m. EST. The official synopsis of the episode reads,
"The shooting of local ladies' man Jim Cornwell outside his home takes July Fourth festivities on a tragic turn; after multiple suspects tied to Jim's romantic life emerge, a confession arises that shatters the image of an Ozark community."
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How was Jim Cornwell murdered? Details explored
On July 1, 2005, Kay Evans had been at home with her boyfriend, James E. Cornwell III, when she heard the sound of a gunshot from outdoors. Evans rushed to the garage, where she encountered a man in dark clothing and a long-barreled gun escaping from the scene.
As the perpetrator ran back to a car with a faded blue exterior, Evans noticed another individual inside the vehicle. She heard the killer saying,
“Now it's over [Cornwell].”
Cornwell had been shot in the face and neck with a shotgun, and he succumbed to his injuries shortly after. The same man had reportedly paid Brandy Medlock a visit at her home, looking for Jim Neal. As mentioned in the court documents, Medlock shared:
“[He was] looking for him because [he was] going to kill him and anybody that's with him [.]”
The authorities in Phelps County got hold of a composite sketch of the killer with Medlock and Evans' help and publicized it in the newspapers.
Who killed Jim Cornwell?
The authorities investigating James "Jim" Cornwell's death interrogated the former Rolla businessman, Benjamin Hardy, and his girlfriend, Christine Watkins, on July 2, 2005, per court documents. Both of them gave conflicting statements, as Watkins alleged that the couple had indeed visited Cornwell a few months prior. Hardy, however, denied knowing Cornwell at all.
In a turn of events, Christine Watkins walked into the police station on October 2, 2005, and gave away crucial information against Benjamin Hardy. Watkins revealed that she had been present throughout the shooting. She pointed the detectives to the car the couple had used the night of the murder.
Furthermore, Watkins mentioned that the two of them had thoroughly erased all fingerprints from the vehicle. They had also disposed of all shell casings to get rid of evidence. The murder weapon was a shotgun Benjamin Hardy had bought from a nearby Wal-Mart using his credit card.
Having killed Jim Cornwell, the couple disassembled the shotgun and got rid of it at Christine Watkins' previous place of stay. The shell casings were discarded at a designated spot at Hardy's place of work.
Armed with the evidence, Benjamin Hardy (41) was arrested and convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. According to Daily Crime, Hardy is imprisoned at the Jefferson City Correctional Center.
Watch the re-airing of the Murder in the Heartland episode Death of a Ladies Man on Investigation Discovery on Wednesday.
