Man faces multiple charges in connection with fatal May 1 incident

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A 50-year-old Perryville man faces six felonies and a misdemeanor charge in connection with a May 1 incident in which an individual entered his residence and assaulted him with a hunting knife.
John P. Morrison, 50, of Perryville of the 100 block of Sandler Drive in Perryville called the Perry County Sheriff’s Office at approximately 12:42 p.m., saying he had been assaulted at his residence and he had shot the person, later identified as 41-year-old Mathew Donnelly, according to a press release.
Local EMS and law enforcement officials were dispatched and found Donnelly, of Perryville, laying on the ground in front of the residence suffering from a gunshot wound. He died shortly after arrival.
Morrison stated Donnely came to his front door and assaulted him when he answered the door. Donnely assaulted John Morrison with a hunting knife, which caused the injury to his head.
Morrison then drew a firearm and shot Donnely one time, in the abdomen, causing Donnely to back out and collapse a short distance from the door.

Upon further investigation, a search warrant for Morrison’s residence revealed a number of things not directly related to the shooting incident.
Morrison, a convicted felon, was charged with felonies for unlawful possession of a firearm, a 45-caliber pistol; unlawful possession of a firearm, a Ruger Mark II with silencer; unlawful possession of a firearm, a Russian made machine gun; possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine; possession of a controlled substance, diazepam; unlawful use of a weapon while in possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine and Diazapam). Morrison has faces a misdemeanor charge of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.  Morrison’s bond has been set at $500,000 cash only.
He was taken into custody and is currently being held in the Perry County Jail.
Morrison received an injury to the back of his head in the assault, was treated at Perry County Memorial Hospital, and released to the Perry County Sheriff’s Office the same day.
He was then taken to the Perry County Jail, was interviewed and held pending the aforementioned charges. Morrison was in Perry County Court Monday, May 2, making an initial appearance in front of Judge Alan J. Beussink.