A Missouri woman who survived a harrowing kidnapping ordeal by hiding under her friend’s lifeless body until her captors left has bravely testified against one of them. Melissa Pugh testified against Steven Chase Calverley, one of the nine individuals charged in the August 2020 kidnapping that tragically claimed the life of her friend Sarah Pasco and nearly took her own life as well. Ultimately, Calverley was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges.
The events unfolded when Pasco, aged 27, was fatally shot in the head after being coerced into a well in Lawrence County, Missouri, by Gary Hunter Jr. and eight accomplices. Pugh, in a split-second decision, played dead under her friend’s body until the perpetrators departed, presuming both women to be deceased. Hunter Jr. received a 40-year prison sentence in 2022 after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping charges, seeking to avoid a potential death penalty.
Following a comprehensive investigation, all nine individuals involved in the botched kidnapping and murder scheme were apprehended. Calverley, aged 33, was the sole defendant to face trial, where Pugh, displaying remarkable forgiveness, questioned his failure to intervene as a former decorated U.S. Marine despite acknowledging his role in her abduction and her friend’s demise.
The traumatic episode commenced when Hunter Jr. accosted Pasco and Pugh while they were parked at a street corner in Stotts City. After coercing them into driving to a residence belonging to Christina Knapp, another accomplice, the situation escalated as the group was forced to dig their own graves. Subsequently, the victims were led to a wooded area in Miller, Mo., where Pasco was fatally shot as Pugh sought refuge beneath her.
Upon the perpetrators’ departure, believing both victims to be deceased, Pugh summoned help by escaping the well and contacting emergency services.
“I’m sorry,” Calverley expressed remorse following his conviction, as he read from a letter addressed to the families of Pasco and Pugh, as reported by the Daily Citizen. “I’m sorry I was a coward and failed to make a stronger effort to intervene. I regret not contacting 911 to report the situation. I am sorry for not attempting to shield you from harm.” The original article can be found on People.
