In a case that has shocked the quiet community of Monett in Barry County, Missouri, a 33-year-old new father, Alan Michael Mellow, stands accused of murdering the mother of his 3-month-old child in a brutal shooting stemming from a dispute over missing coins from his personal collection. Authorities allege that Mellow believed his girlfriend, 30-year-old Hannah Lee Blizard, had stolen the coins to fuel her alcohol addiction—a revelation that escalated into deadly violence on December 20, 2025, leaving a tiny infant orphaned from his mother and a family shattered beyond repair.

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Missouri Man Accused of Killing Woman While Their Child Was Present

The incident unfolded on a Saturday afternoon inside their apartment complex, where the couple had been living together with their newborn son. According to the probable cause affidavit obtained by multiple outlets, Mellow and Blizard were embroiled in a heated argument over her alleged alcohol use. Mellow told investigators that he had been trying to help Blizard with what he described as a “severe alcohol addiction.” The confrontation intensified when he accused her of stealing coins from his prized collection, believing she had used them to purchase alcohol.

As the argument spiraled, Blizard reportedly called her mother, announcing her intention to leave the home with their child. This decision, police say, triggered Mellow’s rage. He allegedly retrieved a firearm loaded with hollow-point bullets and fired multiple shots at Blizard at close range, striking her several times in the head. The shooting occurred while their 3-month-old baby was present in the vehicle, adding a layer of unimaginable horror to the scene. Miraculously, the infant was unharmed physically, though the emotional scars of such trauma at so tender an age are incalculable.

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Missouri Man Accused of Killing Woman While Their Child Was Present

When deputies from the Barry County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the apartment following reports of gunfire, they encountered a chaotic and heartbreaking tableau. Mellow was reportedly resistant at first, yelling to officers, “My son will grow up without a dad,” as they took him into custody. Inside, Blizard lay fatally wounded, with no chance of survival. The child was safely removed from the scene and placed in the care of relatives.

Mellow was arrested on the spot and charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action, and endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held without bond in the Barry County Jail, awaiting further court proceedings. In his initial statements to police, Mellow admitted to shooting Blizard “a couple of times,” reiterating his frustrations over her alleged theft and addiction. “He said that today they were arguing about her alcohol use and the fact she had stolen coins from his coin collection, which he believed she used to purchase alcohol,” the affidavit details.

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The motive—a collection of coins, possibly stored in jars or albums as a hobby—seems tragically petty against the backdrop of lost life and a broken family. Coin collecting is a common pastime, often starting innocently with jars of spare change or inherited pieces that grow into valued sets. For Mellow, it appears to have been a point of pride, perhaps a small escape or investment in an otherwise strained relationship. Yet, in a moment of unchecked fury, it became the flashpoint for irreversible violence.

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My mother gave me a jar full of coins she collected several years …

Friends and community members have expressed profound shock, describing the couple as a young family trying to navigate the challenges of new parenthood. Blizard, just 30, had given birth only three months prior, a time that should have been filled with milestones and bonding rather than escalating domestic turmoil. Reports indicate ongoing arguments over money, alcohol, and responsibilities had plagued their relationship, common stressors amplified by the demands of caring for an infant. Addiction, whether confirmed or perceived, often strains partnerships to the breaking point, but experts warn that it rarely justifies violence—and never excuses murder.

This case highlights the devastating intersection of domestic violence, substance abuse, and impulse control. Domestic homicides in the U.S. claim thousands of lives annually, with women disproportionately victimized, often in front of children. The presence of the baby during the shooting raises alarming questions about child endangerment and the long-term psychological impact on the surviving infant. Witnesses to such trauma, even at a pre-verbal age, can suffer profound effects, from attachment issues to developmental delays.

Barry County authorities, led by the Sheriff’s Office, have praised the swift response that ensured the child’s safety. The investigation continues, with forensic evidence—including the firearm and ballistics—being analyzed to build an airtight case. Prosecutors are expected to pursue the maximum penalties, given the premeditated nature alleged in the close-range execution-style shooting.

The tragedy has rippled through Monett, a small town where such violence feels alien. Vigils and online tributes for Blizard have emerged, with calls for greater awareness of domestic abuse resources. Organizations like the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) remind us that help is available for those in toxic situations, whether struggling with addiction or facing escalating threats.

What makes this story so spine-chilling—as many online commenters have noted—is its banality turned deadly. A new family, a hobby collection of coins, disagreements over habits and finances: elements present in countless households. Yet, in one explosive moment, it all unraveled into irrevocable loss. The infant, now motherless, faces a future shadowed by this act. Mellow, if convicted, will likely spend decades—or life—behind bars, his own words about his son growing up fatherless proving prophetic in the worst way.

This is a stark reminder of how fragile life can be. One uncontrolled burst of anger can destroy generations: a young mother gone forever, a child robbed of her presence, and a father facing justice for unspeakable actions. As the legal process unfolds, the community mourns Hannah Lee Blizard and prays for healing—for the baby, for her family, and for a society that must do better to prevent such heart-wrenching outcomes.

In the words of those close to the case, this wasn’t just a dispute over coins or alcohol—it was a failure to de-escalate, to seek help, to choose life over rage. A minute of lost control has left indelible pain, underscoring that some tragedies are entirely preventable.