A murder trial for a Joplin man accused in the March 2007 fatal shooting of a teenager was expected to get under way this morning in McDonald County circuit court.

The trial for Robert W. Attwood, 28, was to begin with jury selection this morning, according to Bill Dobbs, Newton County assistant prosecuting attorney. The trial moved to McDonald County from Newton County on a change of venue.

Attwood is charged with first-degree murder in the March 27, 2007, shooting death of Aaron King, 19, of Joplin. He allegedly shot King in the early morning hours of March 27 while King was sitting in his car at a parking lot south of 32nd Street and Missouri Ave. in Joplin. King died of his wounds 12 hours later at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin.

Attwood also faces a charge of second-degree assault and armed criminal action in connection with the incident. King was shot through the neck, and the bullet struck a passenger in his car, Corey Marshall, 20, in the leg. Marshall has since recovered from the gunshot wound.

Officials with the Joplin Police Department have said the shooting was the result of several altercations between two groups of young men, and that it likely took place over a woman both King and Attwood were interested in. Authorities have also said there was a related altercation 45 minutes before the shooting incident at 3234 S.
Missouri Ave. Police were called to the residence, but said no assault had taken place and no arrests were made. One of the groups had left by the time police arrived, and officials have said another altercation was arranged between the two groups after police left the residence.

In a May 2007 preliminary hearing, Marshall testified King drove him and another friend to the site where the second fight was supposed to be, and were ambushed by Attwood. Attwood allegedly pulled a gun and confronted the three men, firing one time from what was later identified as a .45 caliber Magnum.

Two days have been set aside for the trial, according to electronic court records.