Springfield Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Reckless Shooting Death of 19-Year-Old

SPRINGFIELD, MO. — On April 6, 2026, Nikolai Martin Janes, 20, of Springfield, was sentenced to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter in the First Degree in connection with the July 1, 2023, shooting death of 19-year-old Keontae Tureaud. Greene County Circuit Judge Jerry Harmison presided over the case and denied probation, ordering Janes to serve his sentence in prison.

On the evening of July 1, 2023, Springfield Police officers responded to a residence on Madison Street following a report of a shooting. Officers found Keontae Tureaud suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to Mercy Hospital in Springfield, where he received emergency treatment for life-threatening injuries. Keontae succumbed to his injury on July 3, 2023. He was 19 years old. The Greene County Medical Examiner confirmed that Keontae’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.

The investigation revealed that Janes, Keontae, and two other friends had been spending the evening together at the Madison Street residence — which Janes shared with a roommate — when Janes retrieved his Glock .40 caliber handgun from a bag to show the group. Over the course of the evening, the individuals handled the firearm, used its laser to point at objects in the room, and engaged in dry-firing the weapon. At one point, Janes handed the firearm to Keontae, telling him to “get his revenge” after accidentally spilling alcohol on him. The two then wrestled with the gun. A witness observed that the magazine had been reinserted into the firearm. Janes then took the gun back, pointed it at the back of Keontae’s head, and pulled the trigger. Keontae collapsed immediately. Alcohol and marijuana were present and consumed at the residence that evening.

Janes was originally charged with Assault in the Second Degree, which was amended to Involuntary Manslaughter in the First Degree — a Class C felony — following Keontae’s death. The State also charged Armed Criminal Action. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Janes pled guilty to the manslaughter count and the Armed Criminal Action charge was dismissed.

The State recommended five years in the Department of Corrections and opposed probation.

In arguing against probation, the State emphasized that while Janes did not intend to kill Keontae, his actions represented a series of deliberate choices that consciously disregarded a substantial risk to human life. Janes introduced a loaded firearm into an environment where intoxicants were being consumed, encouraged others to handle it, failed to verify the gun was clear before reacquiring it, pointed it at Keontae’s head, and pulled the trigger. The State noted that Janes violated every basic firearm safety rule.

Keontae Tureaud was a graduate of Parkview High School in Springfield and was working at Walmart at the time of his death. He was survived by his mother, Belinda Brite, who has since passed away, his father, Bobby Tureaud, and numerous siblings. He was a registered organ donor, and his final act was donating his organs to help others.

“Guns are not toys, and treating them as such has deadly consequences. Nikolai Janes made a series of reckless choices that night — choices that cost Keontae Tureaud his life. This sentence reflects the gravity of those choices and sends a clear message: if you are careless with a firearm and take someone’s life, you will go to prison.” said Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson.

The case was investigated by the Springfield Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Conor Browne.

Janes_Sentencing_Press_Release.pdf

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